The Belgian was linked with a host of Premier League clubs earlier in the year.
Premier League and Championship clubs certainly appear to have dodged a bullet in regards to the transfer of Belgian striker Laurent Depoitre – who was heavily linked with a move to England in the past 18 months.
Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Crystal Palace, Stoke, Aston Villa, Sunderland, West Brom and Southampton were all linked with a move for the attacker.
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The Independent reported that 13 teams watched him in Champions League action for Gent last season with the English teams in question including the likes of Tottenham, Aston Villa and Sunderland – all of whom needed a striker.
Aston Villa even made a formal approach in January but shirked at a £14 million price-tag – according to talkSPORT.
In the end Depoitre never headed to England – instead joining Portuguese giants Porto.
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He arrived in the summer – with a €40 million (£33.6m) release clause in his deal. But Porto do not need to worry about any team making a move for the player of that financial magnitude.
Spurs, Villa and Sunderland for instance are unlikely to want him at present.
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He has been a flop since heading to Portugal, not yet managing a goal and being largely restricted to a place on the bench.
The nine English teams said to have had an interest must be pleased they never followed up on it.
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