Tottenham have acted on their interest in a former Real Madrid playmaker, with Fabrizio Romano detailing the club’s ambitious attempts at signing an alternative to Eberechi Eze.
Tottenham had agreements in place both with Eze and Crystal Palace for the 27-year-old’s transfer. Unfortunately for Spurs, the injury suffered by Kai Havertz prompted Arsenal to thunder in and hijack the move.
The Gunners offered slightly more favourable payment terms than Spurs (easier to achieve add-ons, quicker payments), while Eze – a boyhood Arsenal fan – showed no hesitation in snubbing Spurs and choosing the Gunners at the last minute.
Missing out on Eze with the finish line in sight is a brutal blow for Spurs, but as they showed on Saturday afternoon, they’ll not be deterred.
Tottenham sunk Manchester City at the Etihad to move top of the table. Tottenham have kept clean sheets in both of their Premier League matches so far and if the club get their way, they’ll strengthen at the opposite end of the pitch too.
Spurs aim to sign a winger (Savinho) and a No 10. The Times and Telegraph recently confirmed Como’s Nico Paz is on Spurs’ radar. That was quickly followed by Marca stating Spurs were preparing an offer.
The 21-year-old Argentina international joined Como from Real Madrid last summer and took Serie A by storm. Paz was named Serie A’s best player aged 23 or under after registering six goals and nine assists.
Real Madrid have chosen not to active their buy-back clause for the playmaker this summer, though Los Blancos will factor into the discussions Tottenham are now holding over Paz’s transfer…
Taking to YouTube to explain the situation, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano stated: “Tottenham made some calls today for Nico Paz, but for Nico Paz it’s a very difficult deal.
“First of all, because Como would never let the player go for the transfer fee I see around in the reports, €40m or €45m or €50m.
“Como are not selling the player for that money. It has to be a really important fee, that’s my point of view, an opinion, not news. Maybe something close to the Eze deal numbers to try and convince Como.
“But at the moment Como really want to keep the player and Real Madrid have three buy-back clauses in the next years for Nico Paz.
“So they have 50 percent sell-on clause, matching rights, and three buy-back clauses. Real Madrid have control of the player for present and future, this is why the conversations will be with Como, with the agents of Nico Paz, but also with Real Madrid, and it’s a really difficult thing.
“So Tottenham called, yes, but at the same time it’s a very complicated deal financially and also in terms of not only Como but also Real Madrid.”
Romano concluded by stating one of the reasons Como manager, Cesc Fabregas, was convinced to stay and reject advances from the likes of Inter Milan earlier this summer was assurances players like Paz would be retained.
As such, it will take an offer too good to refuse for Como to greenlight Paz’s sale in the remaining days of the window.
Other No 10s on Spurs’ radar include Morgan Rogers and Maghnes Akliouche. Monaco’s Akliouche is a far more realistic target, with Aston Villa almost certain to reject any and all offers they receive for Rogers this late in the window.
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