Tottenham risk player mutiny over contract clauses as relegation threat looms | Football | Sport

Tottenham will be at risk of a widespread player mutiny if they are relegated to the Championship and not just because of a lack of Premier League football. The north Londoners are only four points clear of the drop zone as things stand, having failed to win any of their last 10 games. Their wretched form has left open the possibility they could be demoted at the end of the season.

Such a development would be a nightmare scenario for Tottenham, who have only spent one season outside England’s top flight since 1950. However, it wouldn’t be as financially catastrophic as it might seem because of certain clauses included in the contracts of most first-team players.

According to The Athletic, the majority of the squad will see their wages slashed by up to 50 per cent in the event of relegation to the Championship.

On one hand, this would help Tottenham to manage the financial ramifications of being demoted from the Premier League. But on the other hand, it would potentially infuriate the dressing room and lead many players to seek immediate exits.

In any case, it’s likely that a high number of players would look to leave Spurs in the event of relegation, even if there were no wage reduction clauses in place.

The provision was reportedly factored into all existing agreements struck before Daniel Levy left his role as executive chairman in September.

Tottenham have signed two first-team players since then, with Conor Gallagher joining from Atletico Madrid and Sousa arriving from Santos in January.

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Only time will tell if Spurs will do enough to avoid the dreaded drop or if they will be condemned to the Championship in a previously unthinkable scenario.

Igor Tudor spoke about the growing risk of relegation following the defeat to Fulham over the weekend, saying: “We need to find forces inside each of us. Where are we going to go?

“When we attack, we lack the quality to score the goals. I want to see everything more, more personality, more wish to do things. We were not good, lacked everything. Attacking and defending. Fulham were much better.

“Of course it is a confidence problem, it’s not about systems. I don’t want to speak about relegation all the time. I give the same answer, my answer is always the same.

“We don’t need to think about that [relegation], not because it cannot happen, but we must focus on growing mentality as a team, concentration, physically.”