Fabrizio Romano has a reputation for being on top of all the prospective transfer moves, across all of Europe’s top 5 leagues, which gives the Italian an edge on some of his rivals in the rumour sector.
Writing in his regular column for Caughtoffside.com, Fabrizio reveals that Spurs are absolutely in the mix for the signature of Leeds United’s Raphinha – as are Chelsea Football Club. Romano believes that fellow London outfit Arsenal could be the ones to watch, as Arteta is arguably the most in need of a Premier League striker.
Barça had agreed personal terms with the 25-year-old, but the proposed transfer fee was woefully low of Leeds’ number.
Spurs’ hunt for a striker has been an ongoing one, and to my mind, Daniel Levy lavishing a reported £65million on Raphina seems ambitious.
I take a view that THFC’s transfer activity has certainly reached an impasse, which to those of us used to Daniel Levy’s usual modus operandi, leaves us hopeful that Paractici and Conte are soon to pick up the slack, and that we’re not heading for a return to the ‘usual’ last minute routine.
Superb 🤣
His choices or choices he was happy to go along with because they were the best of the options given?
Levy back in negotiations, and recruitment grinds to a halt. I don’t know how he imagines he is a master negotiator with his track record
It’s not blame I’m just saying Poch wanted them, his choices that’s it.
I just read the club website, that’s Tottenham Hotspur website , now deep breaths !
Style of player or position?
Did Ramos want to replace Keane and Berbatov with Darren Bent and Pavlychenko? I doubt it. All of them were forwards but their style of play was completely different. It’s like saying “buy me a racing car” expecting an F1 car and ending up with a souped up Mini. The board are involved with these things because it’s their money, not the coaches’…
He agreed to them sure, yet LoCelso was made permanent six months after he left. If his signing was all about Poch then why did that happen? Also, who’s to say that these signings wouldn’t have worked out if Poch had stayed and developed them?
If the signings have failed it is mainly because Levy decided to sack the manager that they most suited at that point in their development and tried to go with coach known for a completely different skill set.
So blaming a previous manager for signings not working out after he’s gone, when particularly suited to his methods, is slightly nonsensical. Yet it goes on, bizarrely…
Gallivanting around europe watching footie, eating nice meals and drinking 18yr old scotch on the company expense account while “evaluating prospects” sounds kind of nice. How do I get that gig? I can’t possibly be less effective than Hitchen was
“Check it out” how? By reading so-called “journalists” like the bearded wonder Mr. Gold, making things up and claiming “what I’m hearing is…” Unless you are plugged into the club’s management who actually make decisions, and/or rang Poch, Hitchens, Levy, et al, you haven’t really “checked out” anything have you?
Huh that’s a tangent Easty.
Transfers were never by committees, coach was asked style of player desired. Dof or scout got a list of players the club could get (agents do tell clubs if a player might go) and an outline of what parameters a deal could be done. Then gave said list to the chairman to do the deal.
Regards to LoCelso most fans thought it was reasonable to make his deal permanent at the time. The wheels came off after with the lad.
Conte knows where he sits in player recruitment and how much influence he has. But that won’t change his style of play.
Poch was the main reason for the signings of Foyth, Lo Celso and Ndombele , he wanted them , you can check it out like I have.
Owners of clubs, particularly Levy think coaches can be interchangeable. It’s the ‘continental’ model that I remember was regarded as strange in England until about 15 years ago. All transfers are done by committee, Sporting or Football Directors often used (or chief scouts). So this constant clap-trap about any coach or manager being the one who ultimately decides which players come in, really needs to stop.
LoCelso is on the one hand flagged up by some as a ‘Pochettino pick’, yet his transfer was made permanent under Jose. That tells you that his signing was clearly not a management decision. Managers have to go along with stuff, their expertise will be drawn on but they don’t scout or decide how the money is spent. If a player signs a five year deal on big money, does anyone think that any owner is going to allow the coach to decide that when the manager could be sacked or jump ship at any time? The player and the club are locked into the contract, not the manager, so allowing a manager to decide these things is deemed far too risky.
Take Wobblybelly, this is an example of the club’s scouts not doing their due diligence. That’s not part of coaches’ job description or remit. His transfer was conceived by the club and Pochettino will have seen the obvious raw talent there and was probably happy to develop him. The idea that the coach either made him a prime target, or indeed messed up the due diligence is utter cobblers.
People like Levy love this model most, because the players then become purely assets and bringing them in is on financial criteria alone. For a narrow eyed account like Daniel, having total control over transfers helps him sleep at night. Although I have no idea why because the way most of our ‘punt’ transfers work out, should be causing him to wake up screaming! Not winning anything will never disturb his slumber, however…
Workload, with the obvious planned comings and goings, i’m not surprised Levy is being wheel out again. As it is spence this is the deal I rather be given to levy of all our targets.
Levy is back due to the workload.
The money is dictated to by the market, was Grealish worth 100m? I would say they are upgrades due to output goal wise, rather than often busy players as our two are.
Catch 22, you need to be good enough to compete as well. Though Conte does mix it up with 2 strikers at times so recruitment should be easier.
Depends on the type of ship you want built. Conte (like Jose) won’t be the style of football you desire.
We’ll never progress at this club until Kane and Levy are gone.
This.
Recruitment team? ENIC FC has a group of useful idiots pretending to be one.
Our squad has about as much balance as the Titanic after it struck that iceberg…
😂 great.
What’s ‘Don’ Paratroopers doing there if he can’t tie up a deal for a young Wingback from Forest?! The mind boggles as to the kind of conversations that happen in Levy’s office. As Redshnapps Jr put it; ‘they’re just clowns down there’…
Moura’s hardly kicked a ball this season under Conte. It would be odd if he stuck around, but then again Levy might want that extra 20 quid to let him go…
I was hoping for higher quality targets than those this summer. They’re decent, but generally Moura and Bergwjin are ‘decent’. We need real upgrades, but of course even if you’ve got 150m burning a hole in your pocket, there’s really no need to be spending it, when you can go to Brighton, Leeds and Forest for your ‘upgrades’ rather than elite clubs. Same old this summer, so far anyway…
We desperately need a striker but one of our own carries such clout he plays even when only 50% fit.
CL final anyone ?
Another over rated player. Spurs recruitment team should learn from their blunder in buying his Brazilian team mate Royal.
Not too happy that we have four defensive midfielders and none of them are known for scoring many goals. Where is the creativity in midfield?
The ambitious ones certainly not coming, the established ones want no part of sitting on the pine CL or not watching our own plough away for 90 game after game. When will someone say enough is enough and go get a striker to compete with the incumbent. Thank you very much, it is time somebody put the breaks on Harry. Leaving the 6 schedules in his locker for this football calendar. The preseason, Premier League, The world Cup, The league Cup, the FA cup, The friendless friendlies for England and the Champions Leauge. Oh bye the way the flights and bus and training and serving the Misses. You think we need a striker yet?
No decent striker will come to us whilst one of our own is still pulling on the shirt. Pointless if they want to actually play football and score goals.
A back up at $65M which we do not need and we would not pay $50M for Richarlison who can play across the Frontline effectively. Great presence in the box, take no crap and happens to know where the goal is both head and feet. Bye the way, my count have us link to 363 players. 360 we are fighting Arsenal and or Chelsea to sign other 3 we signed already. COYS!!!
Top drawer players will not be coming to back up,Kane.
Stevie Burgers is off to Ajax.. Moura is staying at least for another year. Maybe two years if the club still wants him they can trigger a years extension.
Your prices are about right. Richarlson is a pretty good player, it’s all his cheating, diving, pretending he’s hurt, time wasting, plus more that I can’t stand.
Maybe he was recovering from an injury. In his absence
Blackburns promotion push ended .when he returned the team was scraping for sixth. Soldado Jansen Vinicius , thought the latter may have scored against the lesser teams of the epl..but 40 mil too much..
who will be back up for Kane ? Got any suggestions someone costing about 25 mil ..unless they will take 20 mil in a swap deal .
whom could it be
Lol.. The Spence transfer must be at a stand off. Imagine the Boro Chiefs pain when they realised that no quick deal can be done, and the Bald one is coming to negotiate. If he’s only messing with this one transfer then he’ll have a field day. Expect negotiations to last another 6 weeks, it’s not Levy time yet.
I would love Raphinha. 65mil is pushing it though you’re right. More like 40 or 50 mil worth. He’s an upgrade on Burgers and Moura and would push KoolioJetSki for his place.
Maybe he was getting over an injury and in his absence Blackburns push for promotion collapsed. The team wasn’t the same without him..and it wasn’t the same when he returned…we will see..Soldado Jansen Vinicius not great..though I thought Vinicius would’ve scored as many as Bale against poorer teams..but he was 40 mil..too much.
Two goals in last three months of the season maybe people worked him out. Career record of 1 in 4
At least Son was beaten by top draw players. Solanke is at best moderate and been binned by both Liverpool and Chelsea
Deja vu is beginning to rear it’s ugly head. When I heard that Levy had taken over the Spence transfer personally, my heart sank but I wasn’t entirely surprised. I have little enthusiasm for Jesus who looks Arsenal bound but Raphina and Richarlison aren’t worth the money being quoted and are they much of an upgrade on Moura or Berjwin? There’s still time left in the window, Utd and Chelsea haven’t even started yet but I pray we don’t end up with Levy’s normal bull**it.
Seems Everton want Winksy on a season long loan ..which means no Richarlison..no way is Levy sanctioning that spend….same old same old…Wonder who is going to pop out of the Top,Hat…any guesses.
Raf would be a good option. Our back up is poor. Berg is off and maybe Moura too. There will be plenty of rotation. But raf ain’t worth 65. 40 max! Not sure about Richarlson or Jesus tbh. Again, wouldn’t pay any more than 40 for them.
The same thing could be said about Son not making the Prem team of the year by his peers.
Raphihna a winger not a striker same as Bergy and he hasn’t converted . The one I believe is a fit is Johnson from Forest, he’s the best prospect out there.
22 goals 37 appearances..2 and a half months out from Jan ..was the team of the year picked in March by any chance.
Solanke isn’t that the lad that was blown out by Liverpool…he has had his bite.
I like Diaz.
That’s the bereton who wasn’t selected for the championship team of the year by his peers. FYI Solanke was picked in front of him
Not sure that’s a good idea..it’s not really his position.
someone at Spurs still seems to have a hard on for Adama Traore ..hope it’s paper talk ..Barca shirt twisting our melons while Wolves still want 25 mil…all a bit familiar.
I think we are planning to take Raphina on as an attacking RWB 😉
Levy is up there because he heard Djeds Pence
That 150 mil ..was it on the side of a bus ! Top Hats and magic..it’s abit worrying ..especially if Le Arse get in Jesus and Raphina…though the latter seems odd with Saka pretty much having his spot sewn up, similar to Kulu at Spurs. Player that Raphina is it does appear that there is a fair few Right Sided AMs in situ.
Im reading 65 mil for Richarlison though this may drop if Jesus is signed by Arsenal. Time for Bereton, ‘I can see a clothing line being born Chinese market ‘ Diaz.. Then we can bring in the Man from Torino with the change.
i can take or leave Spence, so happy Levy is on the case.
What is all this talk of Striker in your article, Raph has never been a striker.
But we are gonna have to do some convincing to the player to get him here ahead of the Chavs.
Levy getting personally involved in the Djed Spence transfer negotiations doesn’t fill me with joy either. I hope Thomas Frank doesn’t have a hip operation planned this year because it might just be a combined pain ‘too much to bear’