Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly planning to trump Manchester United in the race to sign Palmeiras star Richard Rios, as per GiveMeSport.
After winning the Europa League title last term, the Lilywhites have qualified for the Champions League next season. So, they will have to face tougher games and need proper depth in every department to perform well in every tournament.
Spurs endured a dire Premier League campaign under Ange Postecoglou last term, finishing 17th in the table. So, they have decided to part ways with the Australian, and Thomas Frank has been appointed as the new manager.
Tottenham currently have Yves Bissouma, Rodrigo Bentancur, Archie Gray, and Lucas Bergvall as options to deploy in the midfield department. However, Bissouma struggled to showcase consistency last term, while the Uruguayan has had fitness problems in recent years.
Moreover, Gray and Bergvall are very young, so they need a proper supporting cast from experienced players to help them develop and reach their full potential.
Now, GiveMeSport report that Tottenham have identified Rios as a serious target to reinforce the midfield and have been monitoring his displays in the Club World Cup closely before making a potential swoop.
Battle
The Colombian is athletic and technically sound, so he has the attributes to flourish in the Premier League. However, the player has a £85m release clause in his current contract, which will run until 2028. Therefore, purchasing him won’t be easy for the North London club unless Palmeiras reduce the price tag.
The report say that Rios has attracted a lot of attention and several teams’ scouts have travelled to the USA to watch him in action in the Club World Cup. Nottingham Forest and Man Utd are the two other English clubs interested in him, and the Red Devils could formalise their interest this summer.
Man Utd have been busy reinforcing the squad this summer, and signing a new midfielder is on their wishlist following Christian Eriksen’s departure as a free agent.
Rios is a defensive midfielder by trait, but is also comfortable in the box-to-box role. He is a talented player and could be a shrewd acquisition for Man Utd or Tottenham should either club eventually manage to purchase him in this transfer window.