Jose Mourinho has effectively ruled out selling reported Tottenham Hotspur target Jordan Veretout, with the Roma boss confident the midfielder will stay past the transfer window.
The former Spurs manager addressed claims linking Veretout and teammate Carles Perez with moves away in his press conference on Saturday, via quotes by TuttoMercatoWEB.
Claims have arisen that Mourinho wants to offload both Giallorossi stars this month after they occupied seats on his bench. But Mourinho is adamant that his tactical decisions are not indicators toward Veretout and Perez having futures away from the Stadio Olimpico.
Reports by Il Messaggero claim Tottenham intend to prise Veretout away from Mourinho and Roma in the January transfer window. The Rome-based newspaper also believe Spurs would be on pole position for a deal, as Mourinho must sell before he can sign new players.
Veretout has been a key figure since Mourinho took over the Serie A side last year. He has started all 21 of his league appearances, scored four goals and provided six assists. But the 28-year-old was a half-time substitute in the Giallorossi’s Coppa Italia tie with US Lecce.
Mourinho hauled Veretout off at the break with the score 1-1 after Marash Kumbulla hit a 40th-minute leveller. Perez, likewise, exited at half-time as Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Nicolo Zaniolo came on. Tammy Abraham and Eldor Shomurodov would then seal Roma a 3-1 win.
Mourinho all but rules out Roma ace Veretout joining Tottenham
Additionally, Calciomercato report Veretout – who Roma value at €25m-30m (£21m-25m) – likes the idea of playing under Tottenham’s Antonio Conte. But Mourinho expects he will spend the remainder of the season in Italy, with his squad unlikely to change now. He said:
“Every time a player goes on the bench, it seems that the best solution is to sell him. If so, it’s complicated. Veretout has been on the bench for a match and is already on sale.
“Carles Perez plays 45-minutes, then comes out and is on the market. That’s not the case. I think the squad we have now is the one that will arrive at the end of the season.”
Tottenham transfer target Veretout’s eight assists across all competitions so far this season are the most by a Roma player. Only Abraham (15), Lorenzo Pellegrini (9) and Stephen El Shaarawy (6) have also scored more than his four. Veretout has played in total 28 games.
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