The Tottenham Hotspur fans are feeling nervous in the Transfer Tavern ahead of their season-defining fixture against Chelsea on Sunday afternoon.
Mauricio Pochettino faces one of the most crucial fixtures of Tottenham’s season so far when he takes his side to Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon, as a victory over their London-rivals would more or less secure a place in the top-four this season. If Spurs can finish inside the top-four and Pochettino can lift his first trophy for the club by claiming the FA Cup, the season will be regarded as a resounding success.
Although the Tottenham squad is full of wonderful footballers who have the ability to mount a title challenge, they have ultimately failed to come close to Manchester City at the summit of the table this season, so they must seek to improve in the summer with a handful of transfers both in and out of the club. According to Portuguese media outlet Abola, Spurs are interested in bolstering their midfield options by securing the signature of Sporting Lisbon’s Bruno Fernandes.
The same report claims that Fernandes has a release clause in his contract worth £87 million, which represents an outrageous fee for a player who failed to make the grade at Udinese and Sampdoria in Serie A. There’s no doubt about it, the 23-year-old has been in excellent form for the Portuguese giants this season, as his record of 13 goals and 16 assists from 45 appearances in all-competitions firmly illustrates, but one positive season in Liga NOS does not justify a price tag of that magnitude.
Daniel Levy has established a reputation for being an astute negotiator over the years, so a bid for Fernandes would be extremely out of character for a man who is characteristically tight in his transfer dealings. Of course, Tottenham do not have to activate his release clause to tempt Sporting Lisbon into a deal, but unless Fernandes is available for a fee in the region of £20-25 million, they should avoid making a bid for his services until he has proven himself in Portugal for at least two seasons.
Naturally, if Fernandes repeats the excellent form he has shown this season during the next campaign, his stock will rise and interest from clubs across Europe will intensify, but Spurs would be better off completing a thorough scouting mission on the Portuguese midfielder before committing to an incredibly risky and financially draining transfer.
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