Tottenham Hotspur secured first refusal on Real Betis midfielder Johnny Cardoso when they sold Giovani Lo Celso to the La Liga club.
The 22-year-old American defensive midfielder could join Tottenham for a fee of just £21 million if the Londoners decide to exercise the clause next summer.
Former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson has now hailed Daniel Levy for securing a masterstroke agreement that could benefit Tottenham in the long term.
He said to Football Insider: “Surely there’s only Daniel Levy that can construct a deal like that, isn’t there? It’s one of the strangest deals that I’ve ever seen, it’s an incredible deal for Tottenham to have.
“Actually, first rights over the player, and if I’m led to believe right what I’ve read, they get a sell-on clause if it’s not them.
“How can you have a piece of a player that’s never played for your club and a sell-on clause?
“If that’s not a Tottenham Hotspur contract I don’t know what is, it’s a great option all around.
“He’s a very, very good player, I think to have first refusal on the player, it’s a really good deal for Tottenham.
“He’s a first-class player, he would do well but there’s a lot of ifs and buts that can happen in the next 6 -12 months.
“The manager at Tottenham may have changed, the system may have changed, the player’s form may have changed.
“But to have basically Daniel Levy’s covered all bases he can bring a really, really good player in if he keeps developing in the same way as he does and the manager, whoever’s in charge at that time, wants him.
“If not, if they get outbid by a bigger and better club around Europe say a European giant, a Real Madrid, a Barcelona, they get a sell-on.
“I mean, has that ever been done in football before? I don’t think it has.”
With the growing popularity of the Premier League in America, signing a talented young American midfielder could help Tottenham broaden their horizon as far as the American market is concerned.
Cardoso is a talented young player with huge potential, and he could develop into an important player for Spurs if they decide to sign him in 2025. Apart from that, his arrival will increase Tottenham’s commercial appeal in America as well.
It remains to be seen whether Tottenham take up the option to sign the midfielder in the coming months. They could certainly use more depth in the defensive midfield department and the American international would be a backup option to Yves Bissouma.
Tottenham are one of the biggest clubs in the country and the opportunity to join them will be quite attractive for the 22-year-old midfielder. He will look to fulfil his potential with regular football in the Premier League. The reported £21 million asking price could seem like a bargain if the player manages adapt to English football and fulfil his potential with the North London club.