Tottenham could reportedly have to wait until 2024 to sign Lecce talent Joan Gonzalez, with the Serie A side keen to keep hold of the 21-year-old for one extra season before selling him.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the north London side are keeping tabs on the player and have sent scouts to watch Gonzalez in recent weeks, though Lecce are eager to retain the midfielder’s services for at least one more year before cashing in on the former FC Barcelona academy star.
As per the report, Lecce currently value Gonzalez at €8m (£7m), and whilst this fee would be an easy one for Tottenham to meet, the Salentini are adamant that they want to keep hold of the ‘marvellous’ Catalan star for 12 more months.
Central midfield is a position Tottenham are expected to invest in this summer, and even with Lecce setting their stance on Gonzalez, it could take a big offer from Spurs to lure the midfielder away from southern Italy to the English capital.
Indeed, with Rodrigo Bentancur out until at least September, Tottenham could use the midfielder’s injury as an excuse to splash the cash on a youngster who plays in a similar role, and Gonzalez ticks many boxes when compared to the Uruguay international.
Moreover, with Fabio Paratici still employed at Tottenham for the time being, the Italian transfer guru could use his pull in the market to help Spurs sign Gonzalez, who could realistically be sent back out on loan to Lecce having put to paper on a deal to join the north London side.
Tottenham could be intelligent in how they sign Gonzalez
As mentioned, Paratici has his methods of signing players that could be beneficial for Tottenham, with the Spurs official already using a buy-and-loan-back approach for the likes of Pape Matar Sarr and Destiny Udogie, and a similar method could be done for Gonzalez.
With Lecce unwilling to let the midfielder leave this summer, this approach could be what guarantees Gonzalez’s signature at Tottenham, with the 21-year-old not quite ready yet for a move to the Premier League given his lack of top-flight experience.
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