Tottenham’s £53m transfer pursuit shut down as Man City muscle their way to the front of the queue
Tottenham Hotspur have handed Thomas Frank a setback over a winger the manager was eager to bring in.
Spurs’ problems in the final third have been a recurring theme this season, and reports suggested the club might be ready to spend big in January to address the issue.
Several sources claimed Tottenham were planning a marquee attacking signing, with one Brazilian back on their radar after they failed to land him during the summer window.
Many fans will have assumed this referred to Rodrygo, who has recently been linked heavily with a move to North London.
Spurs pull out of Rodrygo chase
According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham’s bid to sign the Real Madrid forward has now been “shut down”.
Despite Thomas Frank being a big admirer of Rodrygo, the player’s hefty wage demands are said to be too high for Spurs, who want to keep their salary structure under control.
As a result, the club have ruled out a January move for the 24-year-old, even though Real Madrid have dropped their valuation from €100m (£88.3m) in the summer to €60m (£53m) now. The report notes that Tottenham could revisit the deal next summer if the opportunity still exists.
Man City pushing hard for Rodrygo
However, a summer move appears unlikely, with TEAMtalk reporting that Manchester City are intensifying their efforts to sign the winger, who is believed to be “close to leaving” Madrid. Pep Guardiola sees him as the perfect fit for his squad, and City are now leading the race.
Chelsea have also kept an eye on Rodrygo but have decided not to pursue him so as not to hinder the development of young prospects like Estevao.
The report concludes that although Rodrygo is eager for a fresh start and more consistent minutes, Xabi Alonso’s side would prefer to complete a sale next summer.
