Tottenham Hotspur are first in line for a highly-rated player this summer, thanks to a special agreement struck by chairman Daniel Levy, with the man in question set for the final say on a move to north London.
Tottenham break record for most Premier League losses in a season
On Sunday, a brace from Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze doomed Spurs to a 2-0 defeat at home and subsequently handed Ange Postecoglou an unwanted record.
Manager "would accept" £190k-per-week contract to join Tottenham
Ange Postecoglou’s future remains up in the air.
ByEmilio Galantini
Following the loss to Oliver Glasner’s side, Tottenham have now broken their all-time record for most defeats in a single Premier League campaign, with the Lilywhites chalking up a miserable 20 top-flight losses on Postecoglou’s watch.
Son Heung-min
7.05
Pedro Porro
6.98
James Maddison
6.98
Dominic Solanke
6.88
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
“Yeah, look, I get it and people are banging the drum about this record with defeats, but if people don’t see there is a correlation between the two, I am not going to sit here and…it’s not exactly Pythagoras’ theorem,” said Postecoglou on Tottenham’s unwanted record of defeats and their looming European final.
“It’s quite simple to understand we would have had much better results if we didn’t have to navigate this. So, either you understand or you don’t and beat us over the head, I get it.
“I am not happy with the way we performed today, so that’s what I look at.”
While Spurs find themselves in the Europa League final, and could well save their tepid season with a first piece of major silverware in 17 years, not to mention qualification for the Champions League next season, 20 defeats in the league is simply inexcusable for a big six side.
Tottenham’s manager was forced to deal with a historically bad injury crisis midway through the campaign, which undoubtedly crippled his chances of success, but some reports suggest Postecoglou is set to leave Spurs at the end of the season – regardless of their success in the Europa League.
Whoever Levy lands on to succeed the Australian, it is crystal clear that the north Londoners are in dire need of strength in depth, even if the club face a challenging transfer window where they could be forced to adopt a sell-to-buy policy (The Telegraph).
Competition is set to be rife for the continent’s most in-demand targets, with Tottenham among the contenders to sign Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen, who is attracting serious interest from all of their elite Premier League rivals and Europe’s top sides.
Johnny Cardoso set for decision over joining Tottenham after £21m agreement
However, one player who Spurs have the upper hand for, over any other side, is Real Betis star Johnny Cardoso.
Last summer, as part of the deal which saw Giovani Lo Celso join Betis, Levy struck a first-option agreement to sign Cardoso this summer for around £21 million – which they can choose to activate or not.
However, while this puts Postecoglou’s side in pole position above their competitors, his potential transfer to N17 isn’t as cut and dry as the clause.
As per El Desmarque, while this first option becomes valid next month, Cardoso is set for the “last word” over joining Tottenham, so he’s set for a crunch decision as the 23-year-old remains uncertain over his future.
Man United and Atlético Madrid could also come in with offers of their own, while Cardoso’s entourage apparently state he’s very happy in his current surroundings.
He would undoubtedly bolster Tottenham’s midfield given his impressive La Liga performances, but they’re dependent on Cardoso’s last say if a move is to materialise.