Ryan Mason hails new Tottenham transfer policy of taking a chance on young talent

Tottenham star Ryan Mason believes that Spurs' new transfer policy to gamble on "young talent" is the right way to respond to the big spends of Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal. The midfielder says that the stability at north London since manager Mauricio Pochettino's arrival in the summer of 2014 has also given good reasons for the likes of Harry Kane to stay for the long-term.

The Spurs transfer policy came under huge scrutiny in the summer of 2013 when they spent the near £100m ($150m) gained from the sale of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid on flops like Roberto Soldado and Paulinho. Pochettino, however, has changed the procedure since his appointment by getting rid of underperformers and putting his trust instead in young talent from the academy or brought in from other clubs, such as Eric Dier and Dele Alli – having overseen a similar process at Southampton with Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, James Ward-Prowse and Calum Chambers.

Mason has been one of the biggest benefits of this new era at Spurs and after an impressing start to the season he believes it is clear the club are in the right direction.

"The big four can spend £50m on players but we want to buy young talent, nurture it, progress and build," he said to Standard Sport. "With the new stadium [which is due to open in 2018], we're going in the right direction."

Bale, Luka Modric and other major names also left the club in those scrutiny years in order to fight for silverware somewhere else. Kane and Hugo Lloris have been tipped to follow those steps since last summer amid speculation linking them with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United.

But Mason said: "We're very stable and when you look at a top player like Harry, he wants to learn and get better. He is only 22, he is a very grounded lad and he knows that Tottenham is the best club for him at this point in his career. He's excited at the road we're taking and he wants to be a part of it. That goes for everyone else.

"When you're at a club that's stable and everyone is enjoying it, it's probably very hard to consider leaving. The manager has had a big part in the way people are thinking. Tottenham has always been a massive club and we're getting the mix right."