Tottenham Hotspur were allegedly offered Gabriel in January.
Tottenham Hotspur made two signings in January, as midfielder Gedson Fernandes arrived on an 18-month loan whilst Steven Bergwijn joined from PSV Eindhoven.
Still, it seems like Spurs had another potential transfer on the table, but they chose not to pull the trigger as Jose Mourinho and co said no.
The Independent report that Lille defender Gabriel was offered to Tottenham in January, but Spurs decided not to go ahead with a move for the Brazilian.
That same report states that Everton have now started talks about a summer deal for Gabriel, which could cost around £30million to pull off after he signed a new deal in January.
Everton may have a headstart, but Tottenham should certainly be looking to hijack their talks with a summer move, with the timing certainly better come the end of the season.
As things stand, Spurs have a host of defenders, but when Jan Vertonghen’s contract comes to an end this summer, Tottenham will need a left-footed defender to bring some balance to Mourinho’s defence.
Gabriel ticks that box, possessing ability on the ball to play out from the box as a left-sided centre back, but he’s also big, strong and physical – which Mourinho will no doubt love.
The 21-year-old has major potential, and Spurs have a man in the building who knows plenty about Gabriel, as Mourinho’s assistant Joao Sacramento worked with the defender at Lille before moving to Spurs.
Sacramento will know what a huge talent Gabriel is, and rather than add him to a crowded defence in January, moving for him as Vertonghen’s successor makes perfect sense.
It’s certainly possible for Spurs to still fancy Gabriel even if they said no in January, but they’ll have to move quickly in order to throw a spanner in the works for Everton.
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