Tottenham Hotspur continue to be linked with Vedat Muriqi.
The ongoing crisis means there are far more important things going on right now than potential transfers, with countries all over the world battling against the outbreak.
Fixtures have been cancelled, players are staying at home, and non-playing staff are being furloughed by clubs in what is a truly unprecedented situation.
Remarkably though, the crisis has impacted some transfers, and one potential Tottenham move has allegedly been hit as a result.
Sporx claimed last week that Tottenham were set to hold talks about a €30million (£27million) move for Fenerbahce striker Vedat Muriqi, but the pandemic has put the move on the back burner.
Daniel Levy rightly pointed out on Tuesday that potential deals aren’t of the utmost importance right now with tough decisions having to be made at every level of many clubs, but an inside view on Muriqi’s future has been offered.
Speaking to Tuttomercatoweb, lawyer Francesca Alfieri – who works with agents close to Muriqi – has suggested that many teams want Muriqi, and whilst negotiations are ongoing, it’s too early to call a potential move.
Alfieri added that Premier League interest – possibly from Spurs – doesn’t necessarily complicate matters, because Muriqi’s Albanian ties mean he prefers a move to Italy over England.
“Several clubs like him, that’s true,” said Alfieri. “More at this stage is difficult to say, and better not to go into detail. As said, let’s wait, I can neither confirm nor deny [that Lazio and Napoli want him]. He is a player who has proven himself and who is attracting the interest of several top clubs: there are negotiations, we will see how they will go on, without going too far.”
“It’s not for sure. Indeed, I can tell you that right now his priority would be to play in Italy. Also for a cultural factor if we want: he is Kosovar, and therefore Albanian in origin. In these difficult days, we have seen how close the link between Italy and Albania is. Coming to your country would be the first choice,” he added.
Muriqi, 25, has hit 15 goals and six assists in his first season at Fenerbahce, and may fit the target man mould that Jose Mourinho is looking to bring to Spurs, so a move after the coronavirus outbreak has calmed down may be possible.
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