Daniel Levy is an all-seeing eye at Tottenham and, when it comes to matters on or off the field, the buck stops with him.
Sunday’s defeat against Wolves leaves Ange Postecoglou’s side 15th in the Premier League table. In seasons gone by, their points total of 37 might have seen them in danger of relegation.
Tottenham’s only salvation could come via the Europa League. Winning that competition would yield Champions League qualification next season and the revenues that come with that.
But even in a campaign without top-level European football, Spurs continue to rake in huge money, having largely decoupled commercial performance from results on the pitch.
That is why Daniel Levy, in the world of football finance, is the gold standard.
For fans whose litmus test for success is silverware, however, the Spurs chairman and co-owner is an anchor weighing down the North London club.
Protests against ENIC’s ownership of the club have intensified this season, for obvious reasons. But one subplot has been Levy’s continued search for new investment in Tottenham.
The club confirmed well over a year ago that they were seeking either minority investment or a full takeover, although it looks like the former is the more likely.
In truth, the hunt for new money in N17 has been going on for far longer.
Several groups and individuals have been linked with buying into the club, from the worlds of sovereign wealth, private equity and beyond.
For some time, Qatari investment has been mooted – and it would be a natural fit.
The state of Qatar already owns half of London and a club which is underperforming – with scope for a feel-good narrative – but has a global pulse would align with the Gulf nation’s investment ambitions.
Daniel Levy’s £3.75bn valuation could be a sticking point, as the Qataris proved with their failed bid for Man United that they won’t be held to ransom.
However, if the Qataris are willing to engage at Levy’s price point, the addition of a new executive in North London could prove valuable.
New Spurs chief Vinai Venkatesham close with Nasser Al-Khelaifi
When news emerged that Vinai Venkatesham had been named Spurs’ new CEO, the headlines naturally gravitated towards his former allegiances to Arsenal.
But one other line on his CV is equally interesting. For several years up until his departure from the Emirates in the summer, he was the Gunners’ representative in the European Club Association (ECA).
Venkatesham was one of a select few who sat on the lobby group’s executive committee, which saw him form close links not only with Levy but also Nasser Al-Khelaifi, head of Qatar Sports Investments (QSI).
As well as owning Paris Saint-Germain and Braga and being in negotiations for Braga, QSI have been heavily linked with Spurs over the years.
Levy has reportedly met with Al-Khelaifi to discuss a possible investment in Spurs. Like Venkatesham, he is known to enjoy good relations with the QSI chief.
If those talks are still a going concern, the presence of Venkatesham on the Tottenham board can only be positive.
Vinai Venkatesham likes Levy’s self-sufficient model
Levy has reiterated in recent weeks that Spurs can only spend what they earn.
That is in contrast to other clubs, who have speculated to accumulate. At the likes of Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest, that strategy has borne fruit.
But in Venkatesham, Spurs have an operative who is an advocate for the self-sufficient model.
“We have a self-sustaining business model at this club. That means all the investments we make on the pitch are funded by the revenues we generate off the pitch,” Venkatesham said about Arsenal in 2018.
“And we’re really confident we can be successful with this model. The ambition we have for this club is completely possible to be achieved in the business model that we’ve got. “
Could new Tottenham CEO accelerate naming rights deal?
Nearly six years into their residency at their world-class stadium, Tottenham have not struck a naming rights deal for the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The likes of Amazon, Google, Meta, DHL and others have been linked with what the club hopes is a £25m-a-year deal, but to no avail.
The search for a partner who will pay top dollar and fit with the club’s values was rocked by the departure of chief commercial officer Todd Kline last year.
However, with a new CEO in the building soon, the process could be kickstarted again.
One positive will be that another London venue, England Rugby’s Twickenham, has struck a deal on very favourable terms in recent months.
Allianz are paying £10m per year over 13 years for the stadium’s naming rights. As a newer stadium with greater exposure to offer a partner, Spurs should – in theory – be able to fetch more than that.