Report explains what will stop Tottenham from denying Mourinho reunion with £23m ace

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Tottenham Hotspur expect Lucas Moura will stay at the club this summer, according to football.london, despite interest from Roma under new head coach Jose Mourinho.

The Portuguese had marked Moura as one of the Tottenham players he wants Roma to sign, per Il Messaggero. Mourinho is keen to strengthen the Stadio Olimpico ranks with new faces in attack and defence, as several were underwhelming.

The Italian publication also believed a deal for the Brazilian winger would be achievable for close to €25m (£21.5m). Marking a minor loss on the £23m Spurs paid Paris Saint-Germain for the forward in January 2018 under Mauricio Pochettino.

Tottenham will soon have a decision to make on Lucas’ future in north London, with his contract expiring in 2023. Extending his £80,000-per-week terms will protect the 28-year-old’s value, while selling this summer could see Chairman Daniel Levy recoup a large fee.

But football.london claim Spurs will only part with the 35-cap dynamo for an unexpected bid that proves too good to turn down. Otherwise, Tottenham will deny Mourinho a reunion with Moura and envisage him playing a key role in Nuno Espirito Santo’s first year in charge.

Steven Bergwijn is also likely to stay at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and continue adapting to the Premier League. While Dele Alli has been working hard ahead of returning for pre-season to impress Nuno and begin his fresh start.

Tottenham should snub Mourinho interest in Moura

Levy is not yet at the stage where Tottenham must sell Moura to avoid him running down his contract. He also offered an influential presence last season that will be increasingly important with Gareth Bale not returning for a second spell on loan from Real Madrid.

Moura offered nine goals and eight assists in all competitions, while featuring 50 times. It is no wonder, then, that Mourinho wanted to be reunited with his former Tottenham star at Roma. And it is no surprise that Spurs expect the forward to stay for Nuno’s first season.

But Nuno will want him to improve his Premier League return of three goals and four assists. He was not a regular starter last term, after only opening 14 games. Yet Moura offered an outlet in attack that would need Mourinho submitting an irresistible offer for Spurs to sell.