Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy says stadium costs will not affect transfer spending

Daniel Levy says the increased cost of building Tottenham’s new stadium will not impact on the club’s ability to operate in the transfer market.

It was confirmed on Sunday Spurs’ first game in their new ground will be against Crystal Palace on Wednesday, April 3 – seven months after they were due to move in.

However, at a meeting with the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust on Tuesday, Levy said “with a debt of £637m, subject to reasonable assumption on interest rates, the net spend on players would not be affected”.

But the chairman did concede qualifying for the Champions League would give Spurs – who are currently three points above fifth-placed Manchester United – “more flexibility” in the market.

Levy was also asked by the club’s supporters why they have not signed a player in the last two transfer windows. Levy said striking deals had been “tricky” and he was disappointed the market “wasn’t as liquid as it had been previously”.

The 51-year-old, who has been in his post since 2001, refused to reveal the final cost of building the new stadium as “further works are still to be undertaken”. He said spending would continue for another 12 months.

Levy also told fans the opening ceremony for the new stadium may not take place before the first match against Palace, as the fixture is in the evening during midweek, and fans may already have to rush from work to make the game.

Furthermore, Levy announced naming rights for the stadium are not yet in place and that, contrary to reports in the media, Spurs have never been in talks with Nike over such a deal.

Away from the new stadium, he declared to the supporters the club will be undertaking a full review into their women’s team, who are currently top of the Women’s Championship.

(c) Sky News 2019: Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy says stadium costs will not affect transfer spending