Tottenham reportedly have their sights set on Sporting Lisbon midfielder Bruno Fernandes, but it may cost them a significant fee to prise him away.
The 23-year-old has gone from strength to strength since leaving Serie A, returning to his homeland with Sporting last summer.
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Having impressed in Italy, particularly with Udinese, it was a surprise not to see other top clubs go in for him, but Sporting snapped him up and have been rewarded with 13 goals and 16 assists in 45 appearances in all competitions so far this season..
In turn, he has proven to be a very sensible addition, but he could be moving on in the near future as his form has seemingly attracted attention from around Europe.
As reported by A Bola, Tottenham are keen to put themselves at the front of the queue for the Portuguese international, and they’d arguably be wise to move before the World Cup in Russia this summer, as his value could increase if he enjoys a good tournament.
Judging from this report though, Fernandes could be very expensive already as it’s claimed he has a €100m release clause in his contract. While that won’t likely be met by an interested party as it’s a huge amount for a player who arguably hasn’t yet proven he’s worth such a fee, it gives an indication that Spurs will have to splash out if they wish to sign him.
At just 23, Mauricio Pochettino will likely relish the opportunity to work with him and help develop and improve his game. As seen with the likes of Dele Alli and Harry Kane, the Argentine tactician has built a reputation of helping improve young players, and perhaps Tottenham see the same being done with this target.