Tottenham Hotspur’s conservative wage bill could be the very thing stopping them from competing with England’s elite, as a worrying statistic reveals a lack of top earners compared to their rivals.Tottenham Hotspur continues to drag its feet this summer window, as the club is yet to make any big statement signings.So far, Mathys Tel, Kevin Danso and Kota Takai are the three deals completed by the Lilywhites, costing them a combined total of £55.5million.Tottenham have also already gotten four players off their wage books, as Timo Werner’s loan spell ended this summer, while Sergio Reguilon, Alfie Whiteman, and Fraser Forster all departed following the expiration of their contracts.This has seen Spurs save a whopping £15.6million in annual wages after those four player decisions, and that figure could rise even further this summer.Credit: @thefrederikkejensen / InstagramTottenham risk falling further behind due to strict wage structureOf course, it is not news that Tottenham Hotspur operate within a tight wage structure, with the club’s current highest earner, Heung-min Son, capped at £190,000 a week.The next highest, James Maddison, currently earns £170,000 a week, while Cristian Romero comes in third, taking home £165,000.However, based on recent reports, which state that Son could depart Tottenham and Romero could leave following interest from Atletico Madrid, Spurs could very well have just two players earning over £100,000 in weekly wages ahead of next season.Which, in comparison to their other “big six” rivals, could explain why Spurs are so far behind the top.As it stands, according to Capology, Arsenal currently have 18 players earning more than £100,000 in wages, while Liverpool, the Premier League winners, has 12.Meanwhile, Manchester City and Chelsea, on the other hand, have 16 and 15 players, respectively, earning over £100,000 in weekly wages.Spurs’ transfer plans may suffer without flexibility in wagesOf course, having high earners does not always translate to tangible results on the pitch, as Tottenham Hotspur managed to grab a piece of silverware last season, while Arsenal ended without a trophy despite having the most players on high wages.However, while that remains a fact, Spurs’ performance in the league last term also showed the gulf in quality between themselves and the so-called big six.In their annual report from last season, Tottenham’s wage bill was significantly reduced, and that was down to the club losing Harry Kane, yet he was replaced with a player who earned a fraction of his pay.This season, Tottenham’s strict wage structure could also cost them in the summer market. If they fail to pay the wages that top players attract, the club would simply be left further behind by their rivals, who continue to improve their squad.At the moment, it seems as though Daniel Levy and Co. are searching for cheap alternative options that need a few months to adapt to the squad after joining.Reports claim that Tottenham are looking to change their transfer strategy this summer, with a focus said to be on bringing in players with experience, yet it remains all talk with no action.Meanwhile, proven winners with experience are joining the other big six, further widening the gap between themselves and the Lilywhites.READ MORE: Tottenham fans left split as Heung-min Son decides to stay for one more seasonThe post Tottenham's £100,000 wage bill problem shows why they are not competing at the top - Opinion appeared first on Spurs Web.