LONDON -- Mauricio Pochettino says none of Tottenham's players are motivated by money, insisting they want to play for the club "to achieve things and enjoy football."
Spurs finished third in the Premier League last season with the sixth-highest wage bill and Christian Eriksen's new contract, announced on Tuesday, brings him in line with the club's top earners on around £75,000-a-week.
By comparison, Wayne Rooney earns £250,000-per week at Manchester United, while Liverpool's summer signing Sadio Mane -- a player admired by Pochettino -- is paid roughly £125,000-a week.
Spurs spent over £65 million on players in the summer but recouped at least £35 million on sales, and Pochettino has previously admitted that the club cannot compete with their wealthier rivals in the transfer market.
"Our power is not on the financial side," explained Pochettino. "Our power is our facilities, the way we play. It is in the way our supporters show passion. I think Tottenham is a very big club for players that have passion and want to play -- not only for money but to achieve things and enjoy football. Maybe we need to ask people outside Tottenham, but we feel inside that Tottenham is a very special team for players who want to enjoy football."
Vincent Janssen rejected interest from Paris Saint-Germain, one of Europe's wealthiest clubs, to join Spurs in the summer, while Moussa Sissoko snubbed newly-flush Everton. Hugo Lloris, Harry Kane and Eriksen could double their money elsewhere if they wished.
And Pochettino continued: "I can tell you that the players we have are not motivated only for money. That is very important. They feel they want to play for Tottenham. I feel the squad we have today, because it was the case with Sissoko, Vincent Janssen, [Victor] Wanyama, Harry Kane, Lloris, or Eriksen. Maybe they have a very good offer from another club and they decide to stay here or maybe come here for less money.
"I am a lucky person. All the players that want to sign want to play because they love football, or want to play for you or play for the club. That is very important, to show passion and we have a squad like that. It's true that in the end it's our job and you have your salary but it's a key thing to keep.
"When you start to play when you are young -- and we watch a lot of games, like yesterday, the training sessions of the kids, eight, nine, ten years old -- when you play you don't play for money, you play because you love football, you love the game and that is an important thing to keep. And we are lucky to have a squad who all play for that reason."
Spurs equalled their record transfer fee on deadline day to sign Sissoko from Newcastle United for £30 million and, although the midfielder rejected Everton, he had previously said he wanted to join Real Madrid or Arsenal.
And Sissoko's character -- one of the first qualities Pochettino says he looks for in a player -- has been questioned by Newcastle supporters, who feel the France midfielder consistently failed the club.
"It was not only Sissoko but the whole team at Newcastle -- for different reasons," Pochettino explained. "When the team does not perform as well, it's difficult, and they were relegated.
"But it was all the team. When they don't perform it's lack of this, a lack of that, but it's not only one reason. It's maybe many reasons that can affect the player."
The Premier League's total spending exceeded £1 billion for the first time this summer but, with Spurs operating within their means, Pochettino is happy to continue promoting from the club's academy.
"For me it is all about performance. If they show me in the training that that they are better than another player, then it is not a problem," Pochettino said, when asked about midfielders Joshua Onomah, 19, and Harry Winks, 20, who have been training with the first-team since the start of last season.
"You know that I don't have a problem to play them. I am sure that they will have possibilities to play this season. We add another young player to train with us like Kyle Walker-Peters and maybe Marcus Edwards will start to train regularly with us."
