The defender was poised to join Spurs for up to £5 million before Rovers almost raised the asking price, and Spurs will now get their man for £2 million.
Tottenham are poised to complete the acquisition of highly regarded Blackburn centre-back Ashley Phillips before the end of the week, when his contract expires.
Spurs felt they had reached a deal with Rovers for £3 million up front and another £2 million in add-ons last month, and Phillips traveled to London for a physical.
However, at the eleventh hour, the Championship club increased its asking price to £9.5m (£5m plus £4.5m) in the intention of inciting a bidding war for Phillips before a £2m release clause in his contract becomes activated on Friday, the eve of the new Championship season.
However, no other club has made an offer for Phillips in the interim, and the 18-year-old is thought to be determined to join Spurs.
Rovers are still hoping to include a number of add-ons in the deal, such as appearances and international recognition, which might result in Spurs paying around £6.5 million for the England Under-19 international.
Phillips is seen as a promising young player for the future — he made his Championship debut just a year ago and played eight times in the League last season — and his arrival is unlikely to have an influence on Spurs’ pursuit of at least one new senior centre-half.
Meanwhile, The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust [THST] has called on supporters to demonstrate against a price increase before the club’s first home game of the season against Manchester United on August 19.
THST wants a complete reversal of the hikes, as well as a promise from the board that there would be no increases next season. “If these rises are not opposed, we believe there will be more to come,” THST stated in a statement.
“A corresponding increase in season ticket prices would result in increases ranging from 9% to 13% for the 2023-24 season, and there is no guarantee that match-day ticket prices will not rise further.” This is obviously unacceptable, and any price rises must be avoided. Instead of being at the core of every decision the club makes, our allegiance is being abused.
“Ticket price increases are not an economic necessity for the world’s ninth richest club. “They are a choice made by the club’s board against the backdrop of a cost-of-living problem with already sky-high costs. As a result, we urge all Tottenham Hotspur fans to join us in informing the club, “Enough is enough.”
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