Tottenham Hotspur defender Kevin Wimmer has stated that he has informed the club that he wants to leave this summer – with the centre-half admitting that a move to another Premier League side is his preference.
The 24-year-old move to North London from Bundesliga side Cologne in the summer of 2015 but has largely been a back-up for Spurs over the last two campaigns.
Wimmer has only started 13 Premier League games over the last 24 months, with the Austria international given the chance to play when there have been injuries to others.
With the defender clearly assessing his future, he has stated that Tottenham are aware he wants to leave before next season.
“The second season did not go as I hoped for,” he told Laola1.
“I would have wished for more playing time. Twenty-four is the age at which it’s most important to get regular playing time, and not only train week after week and then follow the match from the bench.
“In the next days and weeks, the main focus will be on which offers there are. We will definitely look around. It’s the right time to look for a place where the chance to get regular playing time is higher. We have already made known to them [Tottenham] that we are on the scout.
“It would be great to stay in Premier League. The league’s really cool and fits my style of play. There is a bit of interest from Premier League clubs and also from Germany. I need to look closely at how things are on Tottenham’s end, what their plans are and what the actual fee would be.”
Wimmer has looked decent when given the chance to play but in all reality the Austrian is never going to usurp Jan Vertonghen as the starting XI’s first-choice left-sided centre-half.
As such, it is fair that he wants to leave Tottenham this summer in search of more regular action and the club should not stand in his way – or hold suitors to ransom.
With Spurs only shelling out a reported £4.3 million for Wimmer, the club is likely to at least double its money when cashing-in on him.
However, reports that Tottenham want £20 million if they are to sell him, which have been circulated in the British press, seem extreme and unfair to the player.
Finding a replacement will be tricky given the inflated nature of the transfer market, but Pochettino likes young players and has rising stars such as Cameron Carter-Vickers coming through the ranks ready to challenge for first-team inclusion.
As such, allowing Wimmer to leave Tottenham this summer for a club that he will play more regular first-team football, making a significant profit in the process, seems like the best option for all parties.