It appears to be an accepted fact in football circles that negotiating with Daniel Levy at Tottenham can be a chastening experience.
The chairman of the North London outfit is notorious for playing hardball when it comes to both selling or signing players.
However, it appears that he may have gone too far with regards to talks conducted for Manor Solomon.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has had a few home truths told to him
Now injured, Solomon won’t play again for a while, and Shakhtar Donetsk CEO, Sergei Palkin, has taken the opportunity to tell Levy a few home truths.
“Since October, we have been diligently engaged in negotiations with Tottenham. But finally, Tottenham has not acted in a manner that reflects the principles of fairness and equity. In this situation, we feel a sense of disrespect from Tottenham,” he said to ESPN.
“If you go deeply in my feelings during these months we have negotiated. Actually, we would like to appeal to Spurs chairman Daniel Levy to act in good faith and uphold the shared values of the European football family to find a fair way to compensate us in this transfer, what we are talking about.
“They offered something but it is not even serious what they offered. It is something like peanuts to show they are ready to give something but this is not comparable with what they received. A club like Tottenham cannot behave like this. It is a top, well-known worldwide club and to behave like they are doing is very strange.”
It isn’t clear if Palkin’s broadside and arguably his intention to try and embarrass the Lilywhites will have the desired effect, or whether Levy will double down.
Solomon isn’t exactly caught in the crossfire, though he’ll surely not want to have to field any awkward questions.
From Spurs’ point of view, it’s important that the player is given the right care and attention and is back as soon as practicable.
Whether he’s able to have more of an impact than he has to this point will only be known if he’s given the chance to impress by Ange Postecoglou, something that hasn’t happened to date.