Atletico Madrid are keen to beat Tottenham Hotspur to Johnny Cardoso
Tottenham Hotspur sold Giovani Lo Celso to La Liga side Real Betis in the summer and as part of the Argentine’s deal, they managed to agree upon a clause with Los Verdiblancos that allows them to sign promising American international Johnny Cardoso for a £21 million transfer fee next summer, alongside having the right to first refusal in case any other offers arrive for him.
The Lilywhites have been joined in the race for Cardoso by Atletico Madrid, as per Spanish source Estadio Deportivo (h/t Football Espana) with Diego Simeone’s side keen on landing the defender in the winter itself. It is a prospect that Tottenham can do nothing about as their rights over the player’s next move activate only after the end of the season.
Cardoso is a terrific midfielder and has the potential to become one of the world’s best in the game due to his superb passing game as well as his ability to work in tight spaces, but with Tottenham Hotspur’s high-octane football, it is arguable whether a swoop to north London at this stage of his career would be the right step, thereby handing Atletico the upper hand.
Tottenham also need to prioritise the signings of defenders and offensive players given that they already have a decent number of midfield options already to call upon. Dejan Kulusevski has also transformed himself into a useful player in the engine room, so the Swedish international’s profile and that of Cardoso might not work too well in tandem.
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Tottenham, however, can leverage their £21 million prerogative to sign Cardoso next year only to resell him to another club for a greater sum given that his valuation is certainly closer to £35 million. It would ensure that Spurs make a good business decision although it could come at the cost of risking any unnecessary signing if no realistic suitor emerges.
