---
title: "Tottenham: Lilywhites backed to sign Paqueta over Garner"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-hotspur-spurs-lucas-paqueta-james-garner-latest-transfer-news-rumours-updates/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Chloe Chadwick"
section: "Follow up"
published: "2022-08-19T19:11:27Z"
modified: "2022-08-19T19:11:27Z"
---

# Tottenham: Lilywhites backed to sign Paqueta over Garner

**According to reliable journalist [Pete O’Rourke](https://twitter.com/SportsPeteO?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor), Lucas Paqueta would be a ‘more exciting signing’ for [Tottenham Hotspur](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-hotspur-news/) than James Garner.**

### The Lowdown: Conte’s wish-list

The [Evening Standard](https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/tottenham-djed-spence-tanganga-bryan-gil-b1013249.html) reported last month that Antonio Conte is keen to sign a creative midfielder before September’s deadline, with 24-year-old Paqueta a player who the Lilywhites have been tracking for a while, as per [Football.London](https://www.football.london/tottenham-hotspur-fc/transfer-news/tottenhams-crucial-transfer-window-target-24730590).

Another attacking maestro on the boss’ [wish-list](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/man-united-transfer-news-garner-24738570) is Garner from [Premier League](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league-news/) rivals Manchester United, after being [told](https://twitter.com/David_Ornstein/status/1559090050838794241) that he is free to leave the Red Devils this summer, with Spurs scouts even having [watched him](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-hotspur-news/tottenham-hotspur-spurs-james-garner-manchester-united-forest-latest-transfer-news-rumours-updates/) in action.

### The Latest: O’Rourke’s Paqueta praise

Speaking to [GiveMeSport](https://www.givemesport.com/88049214-tottenham-33m-brazilian-more-exciting-signing-than-garner-at-hotspur-way), O’Rourke insisted that Paqueta would be able to offer more than Garner if he was to put pen to paper in N17.

“It’d be a more exciting signing, I think, for Spurs fans if they were to get Paqueta, who’s a more attacking midfielder as well than James Garner is.”

[Tottenham latest developments!](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-2/)

### The Verdict: Waste of money?

As talented as Paqueta is, a move for the Brazilian should not be one that Fabio Paratici is considering making at this moment in time.

The Ligue 1 ace has been recently valued at [£33m](https://www.football.london/tottenham-hotspur-fc/transfer-news/tottenhams-crucial-transfer-window-target-24730590) by Lyon, but Conte plays with a [3-4-3](https://fbref.com/en/squads/361ca564/Tottenham-Hotspur-Stats) formation and would need to change to a 3-5-2 should he add a creative midfielder to his ranks, something unlikely to happen given he’s used his natural system all season and has the perfect front three to make it work.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”397976″\]

For someone who would be sat on the bench as a result, it’s not worth Spurs splashing the cash on Paqueta, who’d be no more than a bit-part or rotational player.

Conte and Paratici should instead be looking for a young player who’s happy to play a squad role to begin with and possibly force their way in over time.