As the closure of the summer transfer window comes into view, it seems that Tottenham Hotspur’s business is far from over.
Fabio Paratici appears to have been working overtime for the north Londoners, and Sky Sports are now reporting that Spurs are looking to acquire Barcelona’s Emerson Royal.
The Brazilian, who had been at Real Betis last season, only joined the Catalans earlier this summer thanks to the buyback option that Barca had in place.
Their money troubles are well-known hence why Tottenham may feel that a decent enough bid could see the La Liga giants do business.
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A straight deal or one that includes Serge Aurier is on the table for the Catalans to consider.
However, including the Frenchman doesn’t really make sense for Barca.
Aurier is six years Royal’s senior, and has long been a liability in the right-back slot for Spurs. There’s a reason why Japhet Tanganga is being preferred to him at White Hart Lane.
Royal’s more dynamic and physical attributes are precisely what Barca need this season too, particularly when they need to grind out a result or two.
Six goals and 11 assists in 106 career games for the Brazilian, per transfermarkt, isn’t a bad return, and should increase as the player gains more top-flight experience.
Aurier has 21 goals and 45 assists to his name, but they’ve come in a whopping 326 career matches. He’s only ever scored more than two in a season once, something that Emerson has already achieved in less than half the total of Aurier’s playing time.