Benoit Assou-Ekotto’s wages demands are preventing a move to QPR or Palace

London duo want Cameroonian. But he doesn’t want a pay-cut.

Benoit Assou-Ekotto’s status at Tottenham is a bit of a mystery and the journalists who regularly cover Spurs are apparently disinterested in the status of our second longest-serving player.

The Cameroonian is clearly still employed by Spurs – his contract expires at the end of this season and he’s still listed as a first team player on the official site – but not a single person connected with the club has mentioned the 30-year-old all season and he wasn’t named in our Premier League or Europa League squads.

Last we heard of Benny, he had failed to report back to Hotspur Way with our other World Cup participants and was training alone in France. In short, he was in exile; fit, but barred from training with the first team.

Now the Mirror brings a bit of info, claiming Assou-Ekotto has been told he can leave Spurs on a free transfer. Most of us could have guessed that. We might have also guessed that the left back’s wage demands are apparently preventing a move, with both QPR and Crystal Palace unwilling to match his £40,000-a-week salary.

Spurs now fear the defender could see out the remaining seven months of his contract.

If it’s true that Benny is refusing to join QPR or Palace on a free, it’s a shame and proves the bloke is far more interested in money than, you know, actually doing something.

But Spurs still have the option of finding out what QPR or Palace would pay, and then subsidising the difference for the rest of the year, or sending Assou-Ekotto out on a six-month loan in January, whilst continuing to pay a percentage of his wages.

Both these options would get rid of Benny and save us cash, which would probably be best for everyone.