Mauricio Pochettino's claims to have no say in Tottenham Hotspur's recruitment process in the wake of his side's Audi Cup win over Real Madrid points to a widening schism between manager and chairman.
Tottenham paid a club record £63 million (Dh281m) to sign Tanguy Ndombele from Lyon earlier this month and also signed Jack Clarke from Leeds United before loaning the winger back to the Championship club.
Those were Spurs' first signings since Lucas Moura joined from Paris Saint-Germain in January 2018. Considering the club also sold midfield linchpin Mousa Dembele this past January to Guangzhou R&F, Pochettino's achievement in guiding Spurs to fourth in the Premier League and last season's Uefa Champions League final cannot be overstated.
Following a 1-0 win over Real Madrid in Munich on Tuesday, courtesy of a Harry Kane strike, Pochettino said he "knows nothing" with regards to any comings and goings of players and pointedly swerved questions regarding the future of Danny Rose. The Argentine even proposed the club change his title to reflect how he sees his position at the club.
"I am not in charge and I know nothing about the situation of my players," Pochettino told reporters.
"I am only coaching them and trying to get the best from them. Sell, buy players, sign contract, not sign contract - I think it is not in my hands, it's in the club's hands and [chairman] Daniel Levy.
"The club need to change my title and description. Of course I am the boss deciding the strategic play, but in another area I don't know. Today, I feel like I am the coach."
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The best summer transfers so far
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Alex Iwobi was one of the late movers on transfer deadline day in the Premier League as he joined Everton from Arsenal. EPA -
Romelu Lukaku has completed his move from Manchester United to Inter Milan, signing a five-year contract with the Italian club. AP Photo -
Harry Maguire - Manchester United paid a record £80 million for a defender when they signed him from Leicester City on Monday. EPA -
Ryan Sessegnon has joined Tottenham from Fulham on a five-year deal. EPA -
Kieran Tierney has joined Arsenal from Scottish champions Celtic. Press Association -
Arsenal have broken their transfer record to sign Nicolas Pepe for £72 million (Dh320.1m) from Lille. AP Photo -
Moise Kean - Juventus striker is set for a move to the Premier League with Everton for a reported £30 million. Getty Images -
Patrick Cutrone - AC Milan striker has joined Premier League side Wolves for a fee of around £16 million. Getty Images -
Idrissa Gueye - Senegalese midfielder left Everton to join French champions Paris Saint-Germain for a fee in the region of €32 million. EPA -
Nicolas Pepe - Ivorian forward is set to complete a move to Arsenal from Lille for a club record €80 million. AFP -
Mats Hummels - German World Cup winner rejoined Bourissa Dortmund for ₤33 million after three years at Bayern Munich. AFP -
Harvey Elliott - the England youth international is the youngest debutant in Premier League history after playing for Fulham against Wolves in May at the age of 16 years and 30 days. Signed for Liverpool for an undisclosed fee. Reuters -
Thomas Vermaelen - Belgian defender joined the growing band of ex-Barcelona players to sign for J-League club Vissel Kobe. AFP -
William Saliba - French defender, 18, has joined Arsenal from Saint Etienne for £27 million. He will spend the 2019/20 season back on loan at the French club. AFP -
Filipe Luis - left-back ended a nine-year stay at Atletico Madrid across two spells when he signed for Brazlian club Flamengo. EPA -
Daniele De Rossi - Roma midfielder declined the offer to retire a one-club man by joining Argentine giants Boca Juniors as a free agent. AFP -
Joao Felix - after a breakout season at Benfica, the Portuguese striker, 19, joined Atletico Madrid for a club record €120m. AFP -
Merih Demiral - Turkish defender, right, joined Juventus from Serie A side Sassuolo for €18 million. AFP -
Ravel Morrison - troubled former England Uner 21 international joined the promoted Sheffield United on a free transfer from Swedish club Ostersund. AFP -
Joelinton - Brazilian became Steve Bruce's first signing as Newcastle manager, joining from German club Hoffenhem for £40 million. Reuters -
Vincent Janssen - Dutch striker ended a miserable three year spell at Tottenham Hotspur by signing for Mexico's Monterrey for £6.3 million. AFP -
Marcos Llorente - Spanish midfielder moved across town to join Atletico Madrid from rivals Real for a fee of €30 million. EPA -
Nabil Fekir - France international joined Spanish club Real Betis for £17.7 million from Lyon. AFP -
Trezeguet - seen here to Mohamed Salah's right, will join his fellow Egyptian in the Premier League after moving to Aston Villa from Turkish side Kasimpasa for a reported £8.75 million. EPA -
Felipe Almeida - Brazilian centre-back, 30, has considerable shoes to fill replacing Atletico Madrid legend Diego Godin at Atletico Madrid. EPA -
Antoine Griezmann - French forward angered Atletico Madrid by, they claim, agreeing a move to Barcelona in March while also allowing his buyout clause to reduce in value. AFP -
Eden Hazard - Became Real Madrid's record transfer after moving from Chelsea for £130 million. USA Today -
Hiroki Abe - Japanese forward, 20, transferred from Kashima Antlers to Barcelona for reported fee of €2 million. EPA -
Aaron Wan-Bissaka - England Under 21 defender joined Manchester United from Crystal Palace for a fee that could rise to £50 million. AP Photo -
Takefusa Kubo - midfielder, 18, dubbed the "Japanese Messi", joined Real Madrid Castilla in June on a five-year deal. AFP -
Rodri - Spanish midfielder became Manchester City's record signing after joining from Atletico Madrid for £63 million. AFP -
Matthijs De Ligt - widely regarded as one of the best young defenders in world football. Juventus saw off stiff competition for the 19-year-old Netherlands international's signature, securing him from Ajax for £67.5million. AFP -
Fabian Delph - England midfielder, left, joined Premier League rivals Everton for an initial £8.5 million. Reuters -
Ayoze Perez - Spanish forward left Newcastle United to join fellow Premier League club Leicester City for £30 million. Reuters -
Jack Clarke - winger signed for Tottenham Hotspur for £8.5 million but was immediately loaned back to Leeds United. PA -
Youri Tielemans - after a hugely successful loan spell for the second half of the 2018/19 campaign, the Belgium midfielder, 22, made the move from Monaco permanent this summer, with the Foxes shelling out a reported £40 million. Reuters -
Andre Gomes - Portuguese switched permanently to Everton for the 2019/20 season after the Toffees paid Barcelona £22 million for the midfielder. EPA -
Frenkie de Jong - the Dutch playmaker signed a pre-contract agreement in January to move to Barcelona for €75 million on July 1. AFP -
Gianluigi Buffon - Italian goalkeeper rejoined Juventus, the club where he had previously spent 17 years, on a free transfer at the age of 41 having spent one season at Paris Saint-Germain. AFP -
Aaron Ramsey - joined Italian champions Juventus on a free transfer after 10 years at Arsenal. AFP -
Tanguy Ndombele - Tottenham broke their transfer record to sign the French midfielder, 22, from Lyon for £63 million. EPA -
Kieran Trippier - England right-back was part of the Tottenham team that reached the 2019 Champions League final. Joined Atletico Madrid for £20 million. AFP -
Rodrygo - Brazilian winger has likened himself to Ronaldo and Robinho. Joined Real Madrid for £40m from Santos after two clubs agreed he would stay with the Brazilian club for an extra season. USA Today -
Daniel James - Welsh winger, 21, became Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first signing at Manchester United since being appointed full-time manager. Scored six goals in 39 appearances for Swansea City in 2018/19. PA -
Eder Militao - Brazil defender was part of the influx of new Real Madrid signings this summer, joining from Porto for £45 million. AFP -
Luka Jovic - Serbian striker was one of the most prolific marksmen in Europe in 2018/19, banging in 27 goals in 48 appearances in all competitions. Moved to the Bernabeu from Eintracht Frankfurt for fee in the region of €60 million. AFP -
Ander Herrera - Spanish midfielder joined French champions Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer after contract with Manchester United expired. AFP -
Adrien Rabiot - another high-profile free recruit. French midfielder, 24, fell out with former club Paris Saint-Germain. AFP -
Joao Cancelo has made the move to Manchester City from Juventus, with Danilo going the other way. EPA -
David Luiz has left Chelsea for Arsenal in a £8m deal. EPA -
Ismaila Sarr has left Rennes for Watford. Reuters
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Tottenham take on Bayern Munich in the final of the Audi Cup on Wednesday. Pochettino will be forgiven for gripping the hand of his opposite number, Niko Kovac, a little tighter than usual during the pre-match protocols. A Bayern squad that secured a seventh successive Bundesliga shield in 2018/19 but failed to reach the last eight of the Champions League was significantly strengthened over the summer. French defenders Lucas Hernandez and Benjamin Havard were signed for a combined €115m while striker Jann-Fiete Arp was picked up for a relatively paltry €3m.
Since joining in 2014, Spurs have never finished lower than fifth in the Premier League under Pochettino and have become Champions League regulars, scoring memorable wins over Real Madrid, Manchester City and Ajax that culminated in a first European Cup final in June, although they lost 2-0 to Liverpool in Madrid.
While Levy's reluctance to spend money on players while the club managed its transition back to its new stadium is understandable, the riches secured from their league position and Champions League run, not to mention a shirt sponsorship deal with AIA worth £320m over the next eight years, will leave the Spurs coffers sufficiently swelled to invest in a squad that contains too few world-class players for a club of their ambitions.
Pochettino is entitled to feel he should have a bigger say in transfer policy and the direction of the club. While Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, Dele Alli, Harry Winks, Christian Eriksen and Moura are all top-level performers under the age of 28, the defence contains a pair of 32-year-olds (Hugo Lloris and Jan Vertonghen) a 30-year-old (Toby Alderweireld) while Rose recently turned 29 and could do with freshening up.
That's not to say that all of the above are not capable, indeed all were stalwarts of that run to the Champions League final. But Pochettino will most likely want an upgrade on goalkeeper Lloris, whose wayward passing too often put his defence under pressure last season. The almost comical contract situation over centre-back Alderweireld, who signed a short extension last year, means the Belgian could leave if any club meets his scarcely believable £25 million release clause.
This is by no means the first time Pochettino has questioned the club's transfer policy. A club that has signed two new players this transfer window will only be able to call on one for the upcoming campaign. Levy, a notoriously difficult negotiator in the board room, would do well to bridge the growing divide with a disgruntled employee who is coveted by a host of Europe's top clubs.
