SPURS CAN'T AFFORD MOUTINHO

  • Posted on: 15 October 2012
  • By: isport
Tags: 

Tottenham are unlikely to offer the same £ 24 million for the Portuguese midfielder Joao Moutinho in the January transfer window according to a close source at Tottenham. The club became extremely close to securing the services of the FC Porto midfielder after agreeing a £ 22 million fee with the Portuguese club.

However, the deal could not be completed in time after the London club failed to agree personal terms with the player. There have been rumours that the Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas will make Joao Moutinho his first priority when the transfer window reopens in January.

However, the club are not going to offer the same £ 22 million that the provided to FC Porto. The deal was not completed due to various reasons according to insiders. It is thought that FC Porto immediately increased the transfer fee demanded for the player to up to £ 24 million when they knew that the club was not able to agree personal terms with the player. Joao Moutinho was not offered the kind of wages that any club would offer for a record signing. If Joao Moutinho had arrived for £ 22 million, he would have become the record signing at the club beating the £ 16.8 million for Luka Modric in 2008.

"On a point of principle, there is very little chance that Spurs will offer £24m for Moutinho again. There are plenty of good players out there and we are always looking for value in the market," said an insider close to Tottenham. It is highly unlikely that Tottenham will be in the market for a new midfielder especially having signed the Fulham midfielder Dembele for around £ 15 million on the deadline day of the transfer window. Dembele started his new career at Spurs with a goal.