It has been a pretty good couple of years for Tottenham, they have played some really nice football and they have had great successes, but unfortunately this has lead to clubs circling White Hart Lane like vultures, attempting to pick off their best players.
It seems the majority of the Spurs squad has been linked with the exit door this season, not through players choice, or because the club are willing to sell, just because their top performers have been seen by a wider audience.
Today we are hearing reports from our friends at talksport, that there is an imminent bid from Catalan giants Barcelona for Brazilian Sandro, a player who has already been linked with numerous clubs this season.
Sandro moved to Tottenham last Summer, and the 22 year old cost Harry Redknapp a reported £9million, the price tag originally seemed to way heavy on the players shoulders as he didn’t make the best start to life in England, that however didn’t take long to change.
After a run of indifferent performances, the player slowly began to get used to the style of English football and he now looks a fine asset to the side, his performances shielding the defence in both legs of the clubs Champions League match up with AC Milan drew him some well deserved praise and he was named Man of The Match in both games.
These displays have not gone unnoticed and interest in the player is getting stronger. Serie A giants AC and Inter Milan were originally the sides supposedly competing from his signature, but talksport reckon that Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola is now extremely keen and has instructed his scouts to watch Tottenham on a few occasions recently to run the rule over the Brazilian.
Sandro seems happy and content at Spurs and it seems unlikely to me that he would leave after just one season, however I suppose it could depend where Tottenham finish up this year. If they manage to qualify for the Champions League again, I definitely don’t see the player wanting to move, or even being allowed to move, however if they fail to qualify there is the possibility that he will move on after just a short spell in England.
The more interesting question for me, is that despite his obvious talents, where does he fit in at Barcelona? The clubs culture of using young Catalan players where possible is admirable and that is why Sergio Busquets is currently playing the holding role in the sides midfield. I think we all know however that bench warmer Javier Mascherano is a better player than the Spaniard, but he can’t get many games because of the teams selection policy, so where would that leave Sandro.
If Mascherano were to leave this Summer then Sandro would go to the Nou Camp and play second fiddle to Busquets, even though again, I believe him to be a better player. I see no way that Barce would sanction the move unless they planed on selling Mascherano, but even if they did that I am not sure it would be the right move for Spurs Brazilian ruiner.
He needs to be playing week in and week out and I don’t think he would get that at Barcelona, his game will only improve the longer he stays in England playing football regularly.
The Italian clubs however are different, I think he would definitely get games with those sides, and in a way I see them as a much bigger threat to Tottenham than the La Liga giants. The fee? For a man that has cut it in the Premiership? Try €25M…
For more of my thoughts on the latest transfer rumours, follow me on twitter @soccercityjoe!
