Tottenham Transfer News: Spurs Must Pay Top Price for Roberto Soldado

Valencia president Amadeo Salvo said on Tuesday that Tottenham could have striker Roberto Soldado, as long as the club pays the full price of €30 million for him, according to ESPN.com.

Salvo said, via the ESPN.com report:

"

Soldado can go if he wants - for €30 million and under our conditions. Valencia never had any intention of selling Soldado. If he goes then it is because the €30 million figure has been met, not a cent less or a cent more.

"

This came after Valencia newspaper Super Deporte reported on Tuesday that Spurs was unwilling to meet the €30 million price tag (via ESPN.com).

It's naturally part of the bargaining process to get a club to lower its demands. However, at this point, Tottenham needs to meet Valencia's demands for its own sake.

Tottenham should have learned a long time ago from its mistakes, but the merry-go-round goes 'round and 'round with little semblance of logic.

In September 2008, Daniel Levy got then-Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson to pay £30.75 million for Dimitar Berbatov. It was a bold maneuver for Spurs.

The only problem was, Spurs had little in the way of a replacement for Berbatov. Acquiring Frazier Campbell on loan and swinging a last-day purchase for Roman Pavlyuchenko certainly didn't patch up the hole on the pitch.

Fast-forward to today and Spurs is in the same position. If Gareth Bale leaves for Real Madrid, where does that leave Tottenham? 

That's right—nowhere

Spurs need to buck up and meet Valencia's demands. Saving a few million is not worth it. The club needs to make it happen for Soldado so it can develop chemistry before next season. Otherwise, it's going to be in the same position it was back in September 2008, and that is a position that didn't work out for Spurs before.

The time for posturing is over. Tottenham needs to give its fans the solid striker that they have been yearning for. Soldado racked up 24 goals and four assists in 35 matches (33 starts) in La Liga last season. He can make a difference for Spurs.

Tottenham has waited a long time to act, but it still has a chance to act now and save itself from more embarrassment.