With the clock ticking closer to the transfer deadline it appears that Tottenham Hotspur will finish the summer empty handed despite months of rumours linking them with a handful of quality players. 

But whilst there is still time for a deal to go through the Tottenham supporters will continue to cling on to a glimmer of hope that Daniel Levy might pull a deal or two out the bag. A recent report from Gazetta Dello Sport (via Sport Witness) suggests that Tottenham have an ideal opportunity to sign Joao Mario from Inter Milan this summer on a season-long loan deal as the Portugal international is surplus to requirements at the San Siro.

The 25-year-old playmaker spent the second half of last season on loan at West Ham where he provided a decent level of creativity in midfield to help the club move away from the relegation zone, but there's no doubt that a step up to a top-four club is beyond him at this moment in time.

The fact that the Hammers have not capitalised on Mario's reported availability despite the fact they are short of options in midfield speaks volumes about his true level of quality, so Daniel Levy should avoid bringing him to the club even if a loan deal is financially appealing.

Mario's commendable work-rate and ability to pick an incisive forward pass were two traits which helped him to establish a positive reputation among the West Ham supporters, but his impact must be considered in the context of West Ham's season which had been thoroughly miserable for the most part when he arrived.

Levy needs to ask himself if Mario is going to bring a fresh dynamic to Mauricio Pochettino's squad which will genuinely stimulate improvement in results. If the answer is no, which it undoubtedly is, then this is a deal which he should avoid at all costs.

After frustrating the Tottenham supporters for almost the entirety of the summer so far with his refusal to finance the acquisition of even just one new player, Levy would really push the supporters towards boiling point if he made an unambitious move for Mario before the 5PM deadline.

Tottenham fans - thoughts? Let us know below!