Rodrigo Bentancur’s future will have alarm bells ringing at Tottenham.
The Uruguayan has become an increasingly important figure for the Lilywhites over the course of the last 12 months, and is now at the point where he is arguably one of the first names on the teamsheet.
Joao Palhinha’s arrival at Spurs seems unlikely to have any effect on the 28-year-old at this moment in time, given that Thomas Frank opted to start the pair alongside each other in the middle of the park in the recent UEFA Super Cup final.
Bentancur’s experience should make him a crucial figure for Frank under his new regime, but concerns remain regarding the lack of security surrounding his current position in N17.
This article includes exclusive comment from former Tottenham scout Bryan King.
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Tottenham to line up fresh Bentancur deal as Atletico lurk
Bentancur’s contract situation at Tottenham is approaching the stage where it could become a real problem for Frank and Co.
The star has just one year remaining on his current deal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and would be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with a side elsewhere in Europe as early as January.
With Atletico Madrid lurking having shown intent earlier in the transfer window, there is now a renewed sense of urgency for Spurs to sit down with the midfielder and make inroads towards a new deal.
Ex-Spurs scout Bryan King – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes that the Lilywhites will be keen to line up a new deal for Bentancur, and also expects that it could bring a significant pay rise for the former Juventus man.
“I like him, I think he’s a quality footballer and he’s proved that he’s a central part of the squad,” King said.
“If I was Tottenham, I’d offer him another year, or two.
“He’s a disciplined player, he works hard at his game. He’s a good club man, if I was Tottenham I certainly wouldn’t want to get rid of him.
“You’d certainly think it would put him on around £100,000 per week. I don’t know if he’s on any kind of league position bonus or goal bonus at the minute.
“If he was going to sign a new deal, he’d certainly have to get a rise from the money that he’s on now.”
Bentancur could become one of the highest earners at Spurs
Tottenham need to move quickly to keep Bentancur around, and any potential contract extension would likely bump him up among the highest earners in N17.
The Uruguayan is understood to currently command a weekly wage of around £75,000, according to Capology estimates, but that is a far cry from the likes of James Maddison, Cristian Romero, and even his new partner Palhinha.
However, if an increase to around the £100,000-a-week mark were to materialise, that would sit him inside the five biggest earners within the squad.
Bentancur may have additional considerations as to where he plays his football than purely financial reasons, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt Spurs’ chances of keeping him if they were to table the offer of a pay rise.