It’s crazy to think what the threat of shock relegation can do to a side. Tottenham Hotspur have wasted no time before springing into action this summer and have already welcomed Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Jan Paul van Hecke and Martin Dubravka with more names to come.
Among those other names looks likely to be Mateus Fernandes. The Lilywhites have won the race to sign the West Ham United midfielder, agreeing a club-record deal worth as much as £85m.
It’s a statement signing, but even then, Spurs aren’t done. They’ve also reportedly launched an offer to sign Antonio Vergara from Napoli this summer.
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Football FanCast’s Verdict |
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Credibility |
The latest update comes from Italian journalist Fabio Cannavo, who is a local reporter in Naples. Whilst his name isn’t as prominent as a Fabrizio Romano, the fact that he’s a local journalist suggests that he should mainly be in the know about all things Napoli. It is also believed that Tottenham want another midfielder after Fernandes, with links to Sandro Tonali continuing, so a move for Vergara would make sense. |
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Finances |
Napoli aren’t making things easy for those in North London. They’ve reportedly rejected an offer worth €25m (£22m) for Vergara, despite initially green-lighting his exit. He earns just £258k per year in Italy at the moment. |
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Insight |
Vergara is an attacking midfielder, who spent a lot of last season struggling on the injury front. At his best, the 23-year-old is an expert creator, who was involved in four goals in 8 Serie A starts last season. He’s certainly someone with potential. |
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Impact |
Whilst Fernandes will provide the perfect connection between Roberto De Zerbi’s defence and frontline, Vergara would provide that extra creative spark just ahead of the £85m man. And that balance between a rugged and elegant midfield would prove key. |
Spurs aren’t afraid to spend big this summer and Vergara is someone to watch, as they set their sights on welcoming another midfield star.
Napoli respond to Tottenham’s Vergara offer
As reported by local Italian journalist Fabio Cannavo and translated by Sport Witness, Napoli have rejected Tottenham’s £22m offer to sign Vergara this summer.
The Serie A giants have taken a major U-turn away from their initial stance, which saw them green light approaches for their attacking midfielder. They’re now pushing to extend Vergara’s contract, meaning Tottenham may have to make them an offer they can’t refuse.
Cannavo claimed that the 23-year-old’s new deal will feature a hefty salary increase from €300,000 (£258k) per year to €2m (£1.72m) per year if he puts pen to paper. It’s worth pointing out that he would still be one of the lowest earners at Spurs on that salary.
Why Tottenham should ditch Vergara move
Midfield is the clear priority at Spurs this summer and the arrival of Fernandes will just be the start. But now that they’ve agreed a deal for their top target, they have no reason to rush into a deal for someone like Vergara.
Whilst the Napoli man is full of potential, Spurs must look at his injury record. Vergara missed nine Serie A games through injury in the last campaign and also didn’t have the quality to come from the bench in 17 other games. If the Lilywhites really are in an ambitious mood, then they will look elsewhere.
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Vergara injury history |
Injury |
Games missed |
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25/26 |
Partial tear of the plantar fascia |
7 |
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25/26 |
Muscle fatigue |
2 |
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24/25 |
Knee injury |
1 |
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24/25 |
Muscular problems |
1 |
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23/24 |
Cruciate ligament tear |
30 |
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21/22 |
Hip problems |
6 |
It’s an extensive record for a young player and Tottenham would be best to accept Napoli’s stance and look elsewhere for an additional midfielder.
