Tottenham Hotspur were quoted €100m for AC Milan star Rafael Leao
Tottenham Hotspur enjoyed an eventful deadline day of the summer transfer window, with Daniel Levy sanctioning a shock arrival of Randal Kolo Muani on loan from Paris Saint-Germain as the 63-year-old club chairman ensured that he added some firepower to the attacking roster at Hotspur Way.
But it could have been very different for the Lilywhites given the latest report by The Independent’s Miguel Delaney, who insists that the North Londoners explored a dramatic late move to sign AC Milan wide forward Rafael Leao in the final hours of the transfer window only to be quoted a mammoth €100m (£87m) for the Portuguese.
Miguel Delaney writes on The Analyst:
“AC Milan quoted Tottenham Hotspur as much as €100m for Rafael Leao, as sources state that Spurs had cast around for a number of forwards in the final 36 hours of the window.
“That was how they ended up with Paris Saint-Germain’s Randal Kolo Muani on loan after protracted negotiations about an option to buy.”
Leao was among discussions at Hotspur Way
Tottenham had a wild end to the transfer window, with the likes of Leao, Savinho and Ademola Lookman discussed internally. And when they explored a move for Leao, the message was clear that if Tottenham want to sign the former Lille ace, then they will have to pay hefty fees for him.
And that quoted three-figure fee immediately took Tottenham out of the running for his signature, as Daniel Levy and Johan Lange were not willing to sanction a transfer for such a massive amount so late in the window.
Tottenham only wants upgrades
Delaney goes on to explain that the incoming head coach, Thomas Frank, played a key role in pushing for these floor-raising players, as the Dane only wanted to bring in forwards who have the capacity to genuinely elevate the squad and not just be stop-gap additions.
And that stance shows, given how the Lilywhites signed the likes of Xavi Simons, João Palhinha and Mohammed Kudus at N17 in the summer window.
Delaney added:
“Thomas Frank, for his part, was insistent that they only bring in forwards that actually elevate the squad.
“An eventual list that also includes Xavi Simons, Joao Palhinha and Mohammed Kudus is a higher level than the club’s recent modern business, to be fair, perhaps indicating they are now buying at a different level.
“Kolo Muani is also viewed as particularly suited since he can pose an alternative to Dominic Solanke, but also play on the left.”
Tottenham and Levy going on to ask the transfer price for Leao shows how the North Londoners are shifting their market activity, with the Lilywhites now looking to bring in elite-level profiles at N17 but while ensuring that they remain disciplined when it comes to their valuation.
And while for now Kolo Muani will get his chance at Hotspur Way for the upcoming months, the fact that Tottenham even tested waters to bring Leao to Tottenham shows just how ambitious the chiefs at N17 have been, given how they were prepared to make some marquee signings in the final hours of the window.