Aaron Lennon: I was homesick after taking a pay cut to join Tottenham

Aaron Lennon revealed he did not want to leave Leeds for Tottenham in 2005, although his departure was considered because of the club’s financial situation and the costly contract he was on. He said he struggled to settle in London and felt homesick during his first few months.

Former Leeds manager Kevin Blackwell explained that Lennon agreed to lower wages when he joined Tottenham for one million pounds, because his previous contract was costly for Leeds. Blackwell said the player earned ten thousand pounds for every appearance, and one hundred thousand pounds after every five appearances for the first team.

Lennon said his contract with Leeds began when he was fourteen and included a weekly wage of five thousand pounds, as well as appearance bonuses. He added that Ken Bates told him at the end of the season that he would not remain at the club because of the cost of the contract, and he later received a call saying Tottenham’s offer had been accepted.

After a difficult start in London, Lennon spent ten years with Tottenham. He moved to Everton in September 2015 and said manager Mauricio Pochettino’s decision to leave him out of the first team made him feel upset, although he realised his departure was imminent.