Tottenham to agree settlement as 'concerning trend' emerges
Tottenham Hotspur will reach an agreement with Haringey Council over investing in the local area on their own terms.
That is according to former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that the Lilywhites will ultimately have no choice but to offer their financial help.
This comes following the news that the club are locked in talks with the local council, who are pushing for a small percentage of the club's revenue to be handed over to develop the local area.
Wyness made it clear that he has "sympathy" with Spurs to some extent, but believes that it will be a bad look if they do not reach out a hand.
The areas surrounding Tottenham's stadium are recognised as some of the most deprived across the whole of the UK, despite the huge wealth that the club possess.
Local council leaders are pushing Spurs to make a financial sacrifice as a result, and Wyness expects them to ultimately give in.
Tottenham face 'concerning trend'
Everton’s former chief Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that Haringey Council's demands are creating a "concerning trend" for Tottenham.
The Scottish businessman made it clear that the Lilywhites may now "think twice" about their new projects moving forward, given that there could be an expectation for them to hand over any increased revenue.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider's Inside Track podcast, Wyness explained why it is essentially a situation that Spurs cannot win.
"I've got sympathy on this both ways because Spurs have built a superb facility in the middle of a depressed area, and there would have been great benefits in terms of employment during the construction phase, and they brought new revenue streams into the area for many people," he said.
"You've got to think that Haringey would have been so much worse off had Spurs not gone ahead and done this. But of course, in the depressed area you see this big revenue machine there, and you think, should they do more to help?
"It won't go as far as what Haringey are asking for. It'll go to some bigger community package that will guarantee some sort of employment, community schemes, et cetera. As we've seen most of the big Premier League clubs do, and quite rightly, they're very good in the community.
"What we're seeing though is probably a bit of a concerning trend in that private assets are no longer privately owned. This big revenue machine that they've built at Spurs is no longer sort of just all for them.
"People might start to think twice about creating new projects. And I think we want to be encouraging clubs to put together the best possible facilities they can. And of course, always play a role in the community."
Tottenham 'drifting into Chelsea-type situation'
Former Manchester City financial advisor Stefan Borson recently told Football Insider that Tottenham are at risk of "drifting into a Chelsea-type situation" when it comes to their sponsorship deals.
Spurs recently saw Sidiz trigger a termination clause in their partnership, while the front-of-shirt sponsorship with AIA is due to expire at the end of the season.
Borson is adamant that Tottenham have to get a replaced sealed before the start of 2027, or they face the prospect of having to agree a last-minute deal like Chelsea.
The Blues were one of the final Premier League clubs to agree a front-of-shirt sponsorship this summer, and ultimately had to settle for just a one-year deal, leaving the exact same issue next time around.