Danny Rose: Tottenham tried to sell me, but I won’t leave until 2021

Danny Rose is almost unquestionably the most outspoken member of Tottenham Hotspur. He is never afraid to say what’s on his mind, even if it gets him in trouble — and it has, on several occasions.

So when Danny says that he’s not leaving Tottenham until his contract expires at the end of 2021, there’s no doubt that he means it. Rose, speaking to the Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick in an exclusive interview while training for England at St. George’s Park, admitted that Spurs tried to sell him this past summer and that there were no buyers, and that the club will not offer him a new contract. And, just as frankly, he said that he plans to see out the remainder of his contract and leave Tottenham on a Bosman at the end of next season.

“It’s pretty obvious what happened [in the summer]. People upstairs at Tottenham were trying to do what they were trying to do. I’ve said [to them] I’ve got 18 months left on my contract and I’m not going anywhere until my contract has ­finished.

”In January, you’re probably going to hear something [about my future]. I’m telling you right now that I’m not going anywhere until my contract is finished.

”[Tottenham chairman] Daniel Levy told me in the summer there was no new contract for me at Tottenham, which is fine. I respect that. We move on.

“My contract is up in 18 months’ time and I’ll leave the football club then. People [in the media] can save their time ­trying to get stuff ready for January about me being sold.

”Because I can tell you now: it ain’t happening. I know what people were trying to do in the summer... There were no bids — that was rubbish.”

Those doesn’t seem like the words of a happy football player who is enjoying playing with Tottenham Hotspur. And Rose admits that he’s not had the best season this year (along with the rest of the squad). However, Danny said that despite what has been written in the media over the past few years, he has always had a good professional relationship with Mauricio Pochettino.

“When the manager stops calling me into his office, stops giving me advice, that’s when I’ll think it’s time to leave Tottenham. “But until then, I’m not going ­anywhere. I’m lucky to have a manager at Tottenham who, from the first day we met, has always stuck by me, regardless of anything, regardless of the rubbish in the media about me being sold or not part of his plans — all that nonsense.

“I’ve ­personally made quite a few mistakes this season and I know that because the ­manager has called me in quite a few times and we’ve analysed things. It can happen throughout your career and it’s happening right now to me. The manager has done everything possible to help me get back to how I was playing last season. Obviously I’m raring to go and I’m up for the challenge. I’m ever so lucky for that ­relationship that I have with [Pochettino].”

This isn’t the first time that Rose has talked about his post Tottenham future. A proud Yorkshireman, last season Rose was very candid about wanting to play “up north” before his career ends, which he says could last another 4-5 years. But he’s also been the target of racist abuse numerous times in his career and has also said for that reason he can’t wait “to see the back” of football.

Spurs are already facing the prospects of losing Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, and Christian Eriksen on free transfers this summer, and if Rose is serious about seeing out his contract that’s another situation where Tottenham could let a long-tenured member of the club leave for nothing. From the player’s perspective, it’s probably the right thing to do — it would put Rose’s future squarely in his hands and give him direct control over where he plays football next.

But for Spurs it means another player for which it will not receive any transfer income at all. While Tottenham is on more solid financial footing right now after the completion of the new stadium, losing four players to free transfers rather than sales on the clubs’ terms is a bitter pill to swallow and could make Pochettino’s squad refresh even tougher to manage.

I love Danny Rose. I love his outspoken nature, how he says what he thinks, no matter the consequences. I also think that he’s doing what he thinks is correct for his situation right now, and I respect it utterly. If Pochettino were to leave, either by choice or by force, before Rose’s contact is up, then I wonder if things will change for him. But otherwise, it looks as though, like it or not, we’re in for another year and a half of Rose at Spurs.