Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Terry Gibson wonders if the Premier League giants may be tempted to make a late swoop for Atletico Madrid misfit Joao Felix before Friday’s transfer deadline.
It’s certainly true that the £113 million Portugal international possesses many of the attribute Ange Postecoglou looks for in a centre-forward.
In fact, it is not hard to imagine Joao Felix performing a role almost identical to the one Kyogo Furuhashi performed with such peerless panache during two goal-laden years at Celtic; dropping deep to link the play and pull the strings, before breaking into the penalty area and finishing off chances.
Felix is no longer part of Diego Simeone’s plans at Atletico Madrid. Los Colchoneros are not exactly missing him either, if Monday’s 7-0 shellacking of Rayo Vallecano is anything to go by.
And while Barcelona appears the most likely – if only – potential destination for the former Benfica wonderkid, Gibson believes his old employers could do a lot worse than to replicate the deal that took Felix to rivals Chelsea in January.
Tottenham should be tempted by Joao Felix
“He’s got to go somewhere! He can’t stay at Atletico! I’m even looking now and going ‘Spurs’! All day long,” Gibson says on El Tel and Jon’s La Liga Weekly podcast.
“They’ve just lost Harry Kane and Richarlison isn’t playing particularly well. They are talking about paying £50 million for (Nottingham Forest forward) Brennan Johnson? I’m thinking ‘Is that going to be the answer for Spurs?’ and Joao Felix is sitting there.”
Felix was a bright spark in a dismal second half of last season at Chelsea; wonderful finishes against Manchester United and West Ham ensuring one of the most naturally talented forwards in the game resembled something akin to Samuel L Jackson rattling off his Pulp Fiction speech amongst a group of half-interested GCSE drama students.
“He’s not going to play at Atletico,” Gibson adds. “Maybe Spurs will think ‘well, we are not in that race’. But then suddenly you might think ‘if we put in a cheeky bid or a loan’… Chelsea got him!”
Johnson appears Tottenham’s most likely attacking addition at this stage. According to the Daily Mail, Spurs will make a late bid for a player Brentford saw a £43 million offer rejected for.
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