Tottenham Hotspur are keen on strengthening their midfield, with the club looking at several players from across European football to fill the shoes of players like Dele Alli if manager Mauricio Pochettino wants to rotate his squad. Winger Yeferson Soteldo from Chilean club Deportivo Huachipato has become one of the primary targets for the club, according to Spanish newspaper Don Balon.
We are reportedly ready to pay €18million for his signature, but any potential deal is made complicated by the presence of Real Madrid in the mix.
Soteldo came through the ranks at Zamora and went on to score 21 goals in just 84 matches for his native team before moving to Chilean club Huachipato back in January this year. Incredibly, he stands at only 5ft 3in in height and plays as a winger. However, he has been compared to Lionel Messi, due to his low centre of gravity and the ability to whiz past opponents with incredible pace and amazing control on the ball. His quality was especially apparent during the FIFA U-20 World Cup that took place a few months ago.
Venezuela reached the final of the competition and one of the stars of their team was Soteldo. England managed to beat Venezuela in the final of the competition, but the tournament has undoubtedly raised the profile of the player to great heights.
An €18million offer for the still unproven youngster will be a huge gamble from Spurs, but it is a signing that could pay off in leaps and bounds in the coming years. Furthermore, Soteldo may not haggle for a first-team spot straight away and may be prepared to settle for a place on the bench in his first few years at Tottenham.
Last season’s Champions League winners Real Madrid showing interest in the player is a sign of quality that the lad possesses, but Soteldo is likely to choose the Premier League outfit over the La Liga giants primarily due to the availability of more first-team opportunities. One of the few issues with regard to a potential deal could be the work permit.
