Tottenham’s chase may become clearer after Real Betis hired a new coach.
Tottenham Hotspur have so far been frustrated in their attempts to sign Giovani Lo Celso so far.
Real Betis have simply deferred Spurs towards the player’s £88 million release clause, with Tottenham’s £53 million bid rejected [BBC].
Talks have hit an impasse, but from this point forward, that could begin to change. That’s because Betis appointed their new manager last night.
Marca report Real Betis have paid the release clause to hire Rubi from La Liga rivals Espanyol, and the former Barcelona assistant has accepted the job.
It makes sense that Betis did not want to make a decision before now, and give their next manager a say in Lo Celso’s future. It would have been unfair to him to accept Tottenham’s offer beforehand, and it may even have caused him to turn down their advances.
Talks on Lo Celso’s future will be high on Rubi’s agenda. Does he want the player, or does he want £50-60 million?
If he would rather have the money to reinvest, Tottenham will stand a good chance with a renewed bid.
Until this point, Tottenham’s efforts didn’t stand much of a chance. Now at least the situation has moved forward.
If Rubi decides he wants to keep Lo Celso, then Tottenham will have to decide how much they want him, whether he is worth £88 million. That could depend on how much money they get from a potential Christian Eriksen sale.
But in that scenario, Spurs will at least know where they stand.
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