Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly in pole position to sign the Brazilian defender Morato from Benfica at the end of the season, according to a report from the Portuguese publication Record (h/t SportWitness).
The Londoners are currently ‘leading the race’ to sign him.
The 22-year-old is highly rated at the Portuguese club and they turned down offers from him during the summer transfer window. It will be interesting to see if Tottenham can secure an agreement with Benfica in the coming months.
The South American defender has the potential to develop into a quality player for Tottenham with the right guidance and he could complete Tottenham’s defensive unit for the foreseeable future.
Tottenham have already signed Micky van de Ven, Ashley Phillips and Radu Dragusin this season. They need another first-team defender in the summer and Morato would be a superb investment. The Brazilian is likely to improve with coaching and experience. He will be tempted if Tottenham come calling with a concrete proposal at the end of the season.
The central defender has a €100 million release clause in his contract and it remains to be seen whether Benfica decide to hold out for a premium. Regardless of his talent, Morato has done nothing to justify the €100 million price tag and his suitors are unlikely to pay that kind of money for him any time soon.
Benfica will have to be reasonable with their demands in order for the move to go through. It will be interesting to see if Tottenham can agree on a fee with the Portuguese club at the end of the season.
