Tottenham Hotspur are not prepared to break their wage structure for Everton midfielder Ross Barkley, according to the Daily Mail.

What's the word?

The North London outfit have been linked to the England international for some time, but a deal does not appear to be close to completion.

Everton manager Ronald Koeman made it clear that Barkley would leave the club in this window.

However, the Daily Mail reports that Spurs have stalled on a move because the 23-year-old's wage demands are too high.

It is believed that last season's Premier League runners-up will not offer more than the £100,000-a-week wage packets that Harry Kane and Hugo Lloris earn.

The publication claims that a higher weekly sum than that has been put on the table for Barkley in a new deal at Everton.

What should Spurs do?

Manager Mauricio Pochettino is not in a position where he desperately needs new players.

Tottenham's rivals Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City have all spent big in the transfer window so far, but Pochettino is yet to add to his squad.

Despite that, there are no areas on the pitch where Spurs need significant improvement.

They have so far managed to keep hold of their key players, and Kieran Trippier proved towards the end of last season that he is capable of filling the void left by Kyle Walker, who has joined Manchester City.

Bringing in Barkley would simply strengthen Tottenham's squad and provide extra muscle for the Champions League and cup competitions.

However, the club should not fall to the midfielder's wage demands, as that sets a dangerous precedent, with future signings expecting similar salaries, and current players angling for an increase.

As mentioned, signing Barkley would be more of a bonus than a necessity.

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