Rose tells Spurs: sign new players ... and not ones I have to look up on Google
Tottenham Hotspur defender Danny Rose says he would consider offers to leave the club, only two days out from the beginning of the new Premier League season.
The England international, 27, is the longest-serving player with Spurs currently and in recent years has emerged as one of the division’s top left-backs.
Such form has prompted Rose to be linked with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United, although it is thought Tottenham would not allow him to leave – especially following last month’s sale of fellow full-back Kyle Walker to City. However, with his latest comments, Rose is sure to attract the ire of the club management.
A product of the Leeds United academy, he is determined to move “back up north”, while he also criticised Tottenham’s decision to sell Walker and implored the club to sign household names. Tottenham are the only Premier League side yet to make a signing this summer.
“I am reaching my peak and have probably only one big contract left in me,” Rose told English newspaper The Sun. “Time is running out and I do want to win trophies. I don’t want to play football for 15 years and not have one trophy or one medal.
“I will say this too: I will play up north. I don’t know exactly when but I will get back up north and play some football somewhere. I have been away for over 10 years now and I don’t get to see my mum that often.
“I’m not saying I want out, but if something came to me that was concrete, I’d have no qualms about voicing my opinions to anyone at the club.”
Rose has been sidelined since January with a medial ligament injury, but was expected to return early next month.
Tottenham, who finished runners-up in the league to Chelsea last season, open their account on Sunday at newly promoted Newcastle United.
Whether Rose stay or not remains to be seen – his contract runs until 2021 – but he has questioned the club’s lack of transfer activity. “I am not saying ‘buy 10 players’, I’d love to see two or three – and not players you have to Google and say, ‘Who’s that?’ I mean wellknown players,” Rose said.
He said he “knew what he was worth” in terms of salary.
“As a Tottenham player I’d love to see more signings. It would lift me seeing a top player come through the door ... I’m just not buying the idea that we don’t need anyone.
“As a starting 11 we have one of the best in the league, but after that ... I definitely feel we need to bolster the squad.”