Report: Tottenham target set to join rivals in £60m part-exchange deal after manager’s admission

Follow us on Google Discover

The Tottenham Hotspur-linked centre-back Ruben Dias could be joining one of their Premier League rivals, according to O Jogo.

The Portuguese website claims Dias will head to Manchester City for between €60-65 million (£54.9-59.5m) plus Nicolas Otamendi, just days after Tottenham’s interest was reported.

Record reported on Tuesday that the Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira ‘does not even want to hear about proposals’ for the Portugal international, whom it is claimed has a buyout clause of around £80m.

But addressing the link between Dias and Tottenham earlier, the Eagles manager Jorge Jesus said, via A Bola: “There are no untouchable players. I mean … there are essential players, like Messi or Ronaldo, but these are from another galaxy. Then there are important players like Rúben Dias. He is one of the team’s starters, made at the Academia do Seixal and the only Portuguese international who plays as a starter from Benfica – in a team like Benfica, just having a starter in the national team means something.

“He is a player with a lot of value and is important in that sector that, at the moment, only has three options because we have not yet hired the center-back we want. He is essential in the team. But at Benfica I was used to the best being hired, it’s nothing new. If you start with Rúben Dias … if you ask me if I would like (him to leave), I wouldn’t like it. But if the financial factor is important for the club, we have to understand. Coaches must be prepared for this.”

Tottenham are short of options in Dias’s position after Jan Vertonghen’s exit, ironically to Benfica.

But having spent heavily on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Matt Doherty and Sergio Reguilon this summer, in addition to funding a loan move for Gareth Bale, it was always hard to see them paying what is required for Dias – even if he does share an agent, Jorge Mendes, with the Spurs manager Jose Mourinho.

On the other hand, Manchester City don’t have such issues.

And their ability to include an experienced centre-back such as Otamendi in the deal for Dias is another thing that appears could work in their favour.