Pedro ‘Pote’ Goncalves can only join Tottenham Hotspur this summer if the Premier League giants trigger the £70 million release clause in his Sporting Lisbon contract.
At least, that is according to Ruben Amorim.
The Sporting coach has made a habit of disappointing the Spurs supporters of late. After first defeating them in the Champions League group stages, and then making it clear that he had little interest in taking over from Antonio Conte, the 38-year-old has now delivered a further blow to Tottenham’s hopes of bouncing back from a pretty miserable 2022/23 campaign.
According to Record, Tottenham scouted ‘Pote’ during Sporting’s Europa League clash with Juventus last week.
Spurs famously missed out on Bruno Fernandes before his move to Manchester United two-and-a-half years ago. ‘Pote’, however, has been labelled the second coming of Bruno in Lisbon. And he did those comparisons some justice with that remarkable, Nayim-style lob which knocked Arsenal out of continental competition a couple of weeks ago.
With ability like that, no wonder Amorim is determined to keep Pote at the Estadio da Luz.
Tottenham like the ‘new Bruno Fernandes’ – Pedro Goncalves
“Tottenham on Pedro Goncalves? These are players who are comfortable here,” Amorim tells Tuttosport.
“And that is one very good thing; To take crucial players from our team, they have to pay the (release) clause. Pote’s clause is 80 million euros.
“If they give 80 million, he’ll go there. If they don’t pay, he’ll continue at Sporting.”
The former Wolves youngster, who never made a first-team appearance at Molineux, is enjoying another highly-productive campaign in Lisbon. In all competitions, he has 19 goals and 12 assists.
Ambitious Aston Villa have also been linked.
It remains to be seen what sort of a budget Tottenham’s next manager will be handed by chairman Daniel Levy; be it an Arne Slot, a Luis Enrique or perhaps even a Julian Nagelsmann. But, with so many areas of the squad in need of investment, it seems unlikely Spurs would be willing to devote such a sizeable chunk of their summer funds on one player.
No matter how talented. No matter how many Arsenal hearts he may have shattered.
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