Source: Daily_Mail
Spurs to slash Ledley's wages as star opens talks over a new cut-price deal
Ledley King will have to take a pay cut to extend his stay at Tottenham.
The central defender is out of contract at the end of the season and has opened talks over a new deal.
But he is unlikely to command the £60,000 weekly wage he is currently on as concerns remain over the long-standing knee problems which prevent him from training regularly.
Spurs had considered offering King a pay-as-you-play deal but he has impressed this season starting six of nine Premier League games.
It is believed the club are ready to offer around £40,000-a-week on a one-year rolling contract to be assessed at the end of each campaign.
It is unclear whether 29-year-old King, who joined the club as a trainee in 1997 and has stated he wants to finish his career at White Hart Lane, will accept the terms.
But Spurs midfielder Jermaine Jenas has urged the club to do everything they can to keep King.
He told the Evening Standard: 'When Ledley is fit, he is one of the best defenders in the world. How can you not miss him?
Please don't go: Jenas wants King to stay
'You see the difference and you feel the difference when he is not playing. That is not just me saying that, because all our defenders respect him.
'All our other centre-halves have performed superbly when called upon, but taking Ledley out of a side is like taking Cristiano Ronaldo or any of the best players in the world out of a team. Any team would miss Ledley.
'Yes, he has picked up the odd niggle here and there, but things are a lot more positive for him now, in terms of playing games. Hopefully, he will stay at Spurs for a long time to come.'
Tottenham's home game against Stoke on Saturday will mark a year in the job for Redknapp, who has overseen a remarkable transformation at the club.
Spurs were bottom of the table with only two points from eight games when he arrived while this season, they have collected 19 points from their first nine matches to reach third place, three points behind leaders Manchester United.
'Over the last few seasons, it's been very comfortable for the top four,' Jenas added. 'But now, they're starting to realise that when they play teams like us, they have to be on top of their game.
'The Champions League positions are exactly where we want to be. The top teams are more aware of us now, and see us as more of a danger.'
