Tottenham have made an opening bid to sign attack-minded Sporting CP defender Pedro Porro, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Lowdown: Spurs eye Porro move...
The former Man City wing-back has been made a transfer priority at Spurs over the last few weeks amid manager Antonio Conte's search for an upgrade on his right flank.
Reports have suggested that the 23-year-old is top of the list for sporting director Fabio Paratici, but what could make this move difficult is Sporting's stance on selling in January.
Reliable outlets like The Guardian have shared that the Portuguese giants are stern and Spurs may have to fork out Porro's €45m (£39.5m) release clause to land him this month.
Conte is believed to be personally targeting the defender and Tottenham appear determined to negotiate their way around having to pay the player's exit clause.
The Latest: Tottenham table opening Porro bid...
Reliable reporter Romano, taking to Twitter, has shared an update on the situation.
He claims that Spurs have made their opening bid for Porro, offering one player plus guaranteed money.
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However, in some bad news for supporters, Sporting have replied to their approach by rejecting this formula and maintaining that they must pay his release clause.
The Lilywhites are set for further talks with the club 'insisting' on his signing for Conte.
The Verdict: Keep pushing...
Porro could be the ideal solution for Spurs at right-wing-back as Conte seeks to guide his side to a second-consecutive top four Premier League finish.
The Spaniard tops the charts for his club in terms of league assists with five in 13 appearances, and that's not the only piece of evidence for his real threat.
As per WhoScored, Porro also ranks in Sporting's top two for shots at goal and key passes made per 90 in Liga Portugal.
Still just 23, he could come as both an instant upgrade for Conte and a signing of real longevity if all goes to plan, with members of the media lavishing Porro as one of Spain's 'incredible' bunch of talented full-backs.
This saga looks like it could go to the wire as talks continue between Spurs and Sporting - but his numbers and reputation indicate he may be worth the transfer push.