It seems Tottenham Hotspur want a new midfielder this summer and they should favour the Ivorian over the Portuguese.
According to a recent report Euro Sport France, Tottenham Hotspur have bid £13.3million for Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri, so how does he compare with another alleged Spurs target Adrien Silva?
Portuguese publication Sapo Desporto – citing O’Jogo’s print edition – claimed Tottenham were in talks to sign the latter from Sporting Lisbon this summer, with the selling club requesting £26.5million to get a deal over the line.
It does not take a genius to look at the amount Sporting were asking for the 28-year-old and accept Tottenham would look elsewhere – if they even wanted him in the first place.
There is a belief in some quarters that Spurs were never even interested in the Portugal international and that is was mere paper talk that got out of control.
When you consider the midfield options already at Tottenham’s disposal that makes sense, with Spurs unlikely to spend big on a player who would be an extra body rather than a necessary addition.
Tottenham’s alleged offer for Seri, which is £13.2million less than Sporting want for Silva, is a far smarter move.
After all, while Mauricio Pochettino needs strength in depth as he bids to challenge both domestically and in Europe next season, he already has plenty of midfield options.
Spending a sizable sum on a player not guaranteed to start week in, week out, is not going to be on Tottenham’s agenda, especially after the mistakes of the recent past (Moussa Sissoko, anyone?).
Seri is also two years younger than Silva and is a more creative force than the latter, providing 15 assists in 80 appearances for Nice while the Portuguese has just 16 in 200 outings for Sporting.
While Tottenham may need to spend big this summer they are only likely to do so in order to strengthen key areas, namely up front and on the wing.
In contrast, a bargain move for Seri would be akin to similar transfers in the past, with Tottenham offering a player a step up in a bid to further their career.
Silva does not need to leave Sporting to enjoy success but Seri could be ready for a challenge, and if Tottenham go for either, the Ivorian is the far better option at this stage of his career and for the money touted.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
