Jose Mourinho hopes Eric Dier will sign new long-term contract at Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Jose Mourinho hopes the club can tie up a new contract for Eric Dier.

The England international’s current deal expires at the end of next season, but Mourinho says both the club, led by chairman Daniel Levy, and the player are keen to reach an agreement.

Dier has become a key player for Mourinho and has excelled in central defence in the two games since the Premier League resumption.

“My boss Mr Levy tells me that he wants Eric to sign a new contract and Eric tells me that he’s more than happy here, more than happy with his situation, especially now that he feels we have a certain idea for him and the deal,” the Portuguese said. “And he tells me also that he wants very much to stay.

“So I hope that we can find an agreement because I’m trying to take the team in a certain direction and when I try to develop a player in the team it’s because I’m waiting for a player to stay with us.”

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As well as Dier has been playing he still has the prospect of a lengthy ban hanging over his head following a Football Association charge for misconduct when he jumped into the crowd after an FA Cup match with Norwich in March.

The case is still being heard by the FA, but Mourinho says he expects Dier to get away without any punishment if the standard has been set by Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi escaping action for grabbing Brighton striker Neal Maupay around the neck.

“I think they made a decision when Guendouzi grabbed the other guy by his neck. The decision was made in that moment,” Mourinho said. “What else can I expect?”

Spurs have taken four points from their first two games back ahead of Thursday’s trip to Sheffield United, but their chances of forcing their way into the Champions League have been hurt by the impressive form of Wolves and Manchester United since the restart.

It may well be that Tottenham have to settle for the Europa League next season-ending a run of four successive years in the Champions League – but Mourinho would not be too disappointed.

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“If you tell me I start the season with zero points like everyone else and at the end of the season I am not in a Champions League spot I would say disappointing,” he said.

“If I put myself in my day one and where the team was and everything that happens I would say I would not be disappointed because the situation was incredible.

“But we are going to fight until we can, until it is mathematically impossible. One objective is points on the table but we cannot forget that one objective is working for the future, working for next season.

“This is not a waste of time for us. It doesn’t matter how we end the season, to know the players, to work with the players, to make decisions to improve the team step by step in certain areas I think is also very important for us.

“We just want to play and see where we are at the end of the season. When the season finishes we know a couple of weeks later we are starting pre-season for the next season and then is the moment to say everyone has the same points let’s go and fight.”

Spurs will fly to Sheffield on the day of the game and will travel with everyone except defenders Japhet Tanganga (back) and Juan Foyth (knee).

PA