---
title: "Tottenham Hotspur: Jose Mourinho suffers another setback after Brazilian chooses Napoli instead"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-hotspur-jose-mourinho-suffers-another-setback-after-brazilian-chooses-napoli-instead/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Thomas Ward"
section: "Opinion"
published: "2020-06-19T19:00:11Z"
modified: "2020-06-19T19:00:11Z"
---

# Tottenham Hotspur: Jose Mourinho suffers another setback after Brazilian chooses Napoli instead

**Tottenham Hotspur have suffered yet another setback after Gabriel Magalhaes rejected a last-minute approach and joined Napoli instead.**

According to [FootMercato](https://www.footmercato.net/a516366787703691287-accord-total-naples-lille-pour-gabriel), Magalhaes has moved to Naples for £20m, despite Tottenham launching a late attempt to sign the Lille defender.

It has become rather apparent Spurs have problems at the back, as they have conceded nearly double the amount of goals as [Premier League](https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/clubs/goals_conceded) leaders Liverpool this season.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”302266″\]

Jose Mourinho is desperate to add to his defensive options, as [Jan Vertonghen](https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1289271/Tottenham-news-Jan-Vertonghen-transfer-exit-contract-talks-Jose-Mourinho-Premier-League) is seemingly on his way out the door, while [Japhet Tanganga](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-transfer-rumours/japhet-tanganga-profile/) will miss the clash with [Manchester United](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/06/15/exclusive-japhet-tanganga-ruled-tottenhams-restart-stress-fracture/) on Friday night.

Why it took so long for the Lilywhites to make a move at the eleventh hour will leave many fans scratching their heads in bewilderment.

The Brazilian, who was once hailed as “[one of the top five central defenders in Europe](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11974412/gerard-lopez-exclusive-lille-president-tips-machine-gabriel-magalhaes-to-join-really-big-club-amid-everton-interest)” by Lille president Gerard Lopez, has played 24 games in Ligue 1 this season, scoring 1 goal, making 1.7 tackles and averaging 3.3 clearances per game via [WhoScored](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/334087/Show/Gabriel).

[\[freshpress-poll id=”305395″\]](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/[freshpress-poll%20id=%22305395%22])

However, the 22-year-old has now rejected [Spurs and Everton](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8436959/Everton-set-miss-Gabriel-Magalhaes-Napoli-reach-22m-agreement-Lille.html) in favour of a move to the Stadio Sao Paolo.

This will no doubt be a bitter blow for Mourinho, who has been beset by constant setbacks over the course of his brief tenure at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium so far.

Indeed, Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, Steven Bergwijn and Moussa Sissoko have all recovered from [injury](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11675/11995016/jose-mourinho-harry-kane-heung-min-son-and-all-tottenham-players-recovered-from-injury), only for Tanganga and [Troy Parrott](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/tottenham-hotspur-troy-parrott-injury-update-latest-season-a9539986.html) to be ruled out for a number of weeks.

To make matters even worse, [Dele Alli](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-hotspur-news/tottenham-paul-robinson-dele-alli-blow-man-united-mourinho/) has been suspended for the home game against the Red Devils for a post on social media about coronavirus.

The Portuguese will now have to look elsewhere when the transfer window opens, with the knowledge that his budget has been [severely slashed](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/11720841/jose-mourinho-spurs-transfer-budget-slashed/) as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

***Tottenham fans, could Mourinho’s luck get any worse? Let us know in the comments below!***