Tottenham Transfer News: Real Madrid Warned Against Dele Alli Deal, Top Rumours

Real Madrid have been warned against trying to sign Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli if it means offering the same type of money it took to acquire Gareth Bale in 2013.

Los Blancos paid a then world-record fee to take Bale from White Hart Lane four years ago, but former Real right-back Michel Salgado believes his old club would be "crazy" to make the same level of investment in Alli.

Speaking to TalkSport (h/t MailOnline's Jonathan Spencer), Salgado made it clear Alli is talented enough to join Los Merengues but said the price must favour his old club: "Obviously they can pursue him because he's a great player, he's young, he's got the ability and he's got pace, too. But the price is too high. Real Madrid paid big money to Tottenham for Gareth Bale, and now if they paid that money for Dele Alli, it would be crazy."

Spencer detailed how Alli has attracted interest from clubs across Europe, with Los Blancos mentioned as a keen suitor.

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Alli's price would naturally be high should Spurs even consider selling one of their key players. In fact, the 20-year-old could cost as much as £50 million, according to Joel Watson of the Daily Star.

It's this price Salgado believes Real must avoid paying. In particular, he feels as though Alli's temperament doesn't merit such a hefty price tag: "My question is can he cope with the pressure of playing for Madrid, which is going to be so many times more than at Tottenham. Quality on the pitch he's got it, but at the moment, I don't know what's going to happen, and hopefully if they do sign him, the price will be a little bit cheaper."

Concerns about Alli's mentality are warranted after he lost discipline completely during Tottenham's UEFA Europa League last-32 tie with KAA Gent. Spurs were eliminated from the tournament after drawing 2-2 with the Belgian side at Wembley Stadium on Thursday.

Tottenham's cause wasn't helped by Alli receiving a straight red card in the first half, following a rash and violent challenge in midfield. It's a horror tackle possibly set to incur a lengthy, UEFA-imposed ban for Alli, per Sam Cunningham of the Daily Mail.

Cunningham also noted how Alli's disciplinary problems are becoming a recurring concern: "Alli is fast developing a reputation for his antics after a string of offences, including being given a retrospective three-match ban for punching West Bromwich Albion’s Claudio Yacob in the stomach in a Premier League match last year."

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Such is the erratic nature of Alli's behaviour that Paul Hayward of the Daily Telegraph believes manager Mauricio Pochettino has to take a tougher approach to keep his precocious midfielder in line.

There's no denying Alli's ability. The former MK Dons ace boasts an impressive engine, quality technique, natural flair and an eye for goal.

Those are match-winning attributes Spurs need to have at their disposal regularly. The last thing Pochettino and the club need is for Alli's issues to cause his talent to be wasted.

Kyle Walker Wanted by Barcelona

In one of the more eyebrow-raising transfer rumours, La Liga giants Barcelona are reportedly interested in signing Tottenham right-back Kyle Walker.

Barca are said to have renewed their interest in England international Walker, according to the London Evening Standard (h/t Sport English).

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The reports do note how Walker recently renewing his contract with Spurs will increase his price. However, the more surprising aspect of the report is that Barcelona would seriously consider Walker a credible solution to their issues at right-back.

The Camp Nou club has had problems at the position since Dani Alves left for Juventus last summer. Players such as Sergi Roberto and Aleix Vidal have struggled to fill the void.

Walker has built a solid career at Spurs, thanks largely to his energy and pace going forward. Yet the 26-year-old is also shaky defensively, where he can be drawn out of position or into rash tackles.

Walker's starting berth at Tottenham should come under threat the more Kieran Trippier improves. The ex-Burnley defender has impressed lately, particularly during the recent 3-0 win over Fulham in the FA Cup.

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A statistical comparison shows how Trippier is beginning to become a force going forward while closing the gap on Walker, according to statistics from WhoScored.com:

Player	Tackles	Interceptions	Blocks	Key Passes	Crosses	Pass Success	Assists
Kieran Trippier	1.8	1.8	0.2	1	0.8	77.6 percent	2
Kyle Walker	2.3	1.2	0.3	1.4	0.5	78.8 percent	5

If Spurs can cash in on Walker this summer, it's something Pochettino should seriously consider. By contrast, selling Alli would be a mistake, but the manager's hand may be forced if the midfielder continues to be so reckless on the pitch.