Tottenham target Rafael Leao could be the subject of an eye-watering €120m bid from bitter London rivals Chelsea
With the injury list growing and the form having dropped, Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank is considering freshening up his squad in the January transfer window.
Spurs were dealt double body blows before the start of the campaign. James Maddison sustained a serious ACL damage during the pre-season tour of Asia, before club captain and talisman Son Heung-min departed for MLS club Los Angeles FC in mid-August. This has left two major gaps in the current squad at Thomas Frank’s disposal.
In response to the setbacks suffered in the form of Son’s exit and Maddison’s injury, Spurs recruited Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig and Randal Kolo Muani on deadline day on a season-long loan from PSG However, the attacking duo have struggled to make any significant impact so far.
Tottenham target Rafael Leao could be the subject of an eye-watering €120m bid from bitter London rivals Chelsea.
Tottenham-linked AC Milan star Rafael Leao could be the subject of big bid from Chelsea. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Tottenham target Rafael Leao has a big offer from London rivals Chelsea
As per recent reports, co-sporting director Fabio Paratici is eyeing attacking reinforcements in the winter window. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to any fan, given the Lilywhites’ lack of ruthless finishing in front of goal and creativity from the left flank. And in a bid to make wholesale changes to the squad following Daniel Levy’s exit at the start of September, the club have also been eyeing a marquee signing in the form of AC Milan’s Rafael Leao.
Rafael Leao has been among the best performers for AC Milan in recent years, attracting interest from several European clubs. He has had an injury-hit start to the campaign, yet has three goals and an assist in six Serie A games. The Portuguese looked at his sublime best at the weekend, delivering the decisive assist for Strahinja Pavlovic’s goal in the 1-0 win over AS Roma.
With that, the market spotlight is back on him. According to a report from Fichajes, Chelsea have emerged as a leading candidate to sign Leao from AC Milan. They are ready to splash €120m for the 26-year-old, an offer that could convince the Rossoneri to accept if it arrives at the ‘right time’. This is because of the Serie A club’s financial situation, which could force them to agree to the Blues’ potential offer even if they do not want to sell their prized asset.
Tottenham target Rafael Leao could be the subject of an eye-watering €120m bid from bitter London rivals Chelsea.
Tottenham aiming to back Thomas Frank in the upcoming transfer window to maintain positive start to the new season.
Big blow for Spurs in pursuit of Leao
Many expected Tottenham to bring in a new winger following Son’s departure. Yet, the Hotspur Way chiefs appeared to undervalue the importance of replacing the South Korean ace, opting instead to rely on the existing options. As a result, Frank is paying the consequences of that poor decision.
Leao could be Son’s ideal long-term replacement. The Portugal international has pace, power, strength, flair and creativity in abundance, and he’d be someone to add the ‘X-factor’ to Tottenham’s attack. However, Chelsea ready to break the bank for the Milan star would represent a major blow for Tottenham.
Nonetheless, after Lewis Family’s £100 million capital injection to the club last month, the Lilywhites should do everything possible to secure Leao’s signature in the coming months. Missing out on a player of his quality could prove costly, especially given their need for greater quality and attacking depth on the left flank. After the recent 1-0 loss to Chelsea, we must extract revenge off the pitch by beating the west Londoners to the signing of Leao.