Having reached close to the half-way point in the transfer window, Tottenham will certainly be keen to do some business, with a lot of their players being linked with moves away from the club. The most important of them is their talisman Gareth Bale. Bale has been continually linked with Real Madrid and Manchester United, and now a move to the Spanish capital seems to be logical outcome following a Gonzalo Higuain’s move to Napoli.
Bale’s departure would leave a big hole in the attacking department, something that needs to be filled. So, here’s a look at some of the players who have been linked with Tottenham, and see what the chances are of them actually making the move to London.
Christian Benteke
A lot was talked about his expected move to Tottenham to take up the mantle of the club’s first choice striker, with both Jermaine Defoe and Emanuel Adebayor linked with moves away from the club. However, Tottenham’s failure to break Aston Villa’s resolve over the price of the Belgian striker and his subsequent signing of a new contract at the Midlands club means that a move seems highly unlikely. However, if Gareth Bale is sold, they may use the cash to meet Villa’s asking price.
Likelihood: 2/5
Roberto Soldado
The Valencia striker has been heavily linked with a move to Tottenham in the last few days, and Valencia has reportedly given Tottenham and Liverpool, the other club reportedly interested in the Spaniard, until August 3 to wrap up the transfer. However, the sticking point over this is the fact that Valencia have demanded that Suprs meet Soldado’s release clause, which is expected to be around €30 million. If the Gareth Bale saga is resolved in the next few days, which it is expected to, we can safely assume that the Spurs will make a move for Soldado.
Likelihood: 4/5
Lisandro Lopez
This link came up after the Valencia President’s declaration that Spurs would have to match Soldado’s release clause. Lopez, meanwhile, was the subject of a failed Deadline Day bid by Spurs chairman Daniel Levy back in January. The 30-year-old forward, who can also play on the wings, has just a year left on his contract and has made it clear to his club he intends to move on this summer. Spurs are set to go back in before the deadline with Lyon aware that they need to sell now or lose Lopez for nothing in 12 months.
Likelihood: 2.5/5
Bernard
Brazilian outfit Atletico Mineiro have confirmed they have received a number of offers for Bernard this summer. Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas has reportedly added tricky playmaker Bernard to his list of options as he looks to add another attack-minded midfielder to his squad this summer. Bernard is the rising star of Brazilian football, having finally become a regular for Mineiro last season before starring for the national team during the Confederations Cup. The 20-year-old, who can play behind a striker or out wide, has also alerted the likes of Porto, Napoli, Benfica and Borussia Dortmund, but he has previously admitted his desire to move to the Premier League. The sticking point however is the fee, with Mineiro expected to do business for the player for around £25million.
Likelihood: 3/5
James McCarthy
According to several media reports, Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas want Wigan midfield star James McCarthy, and is looking to offer cash plus players. Spurs are still keen on the midfield machine McCarthy despite landing Brazilian Paulinho because Clint Dempsey is expected to leave the club this summer following a disappointing last season. They are trying to sort out a fee; however, Tottenham are unwilling to pay Wigan’s £20million valuation and are going to try to put fringe men into the deal. Striker Harry Kane – capped by England at under-21 level – is one of those rumored to be part of the deal. Spurs may go to around £12 million, including players, but that is not going to make the relegated FA Cup winners change their view.
Likelihood: 3.5/5
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