Spurs manager Antonio Conte is expected to sign a new winger this month to replace Emerson Royal, Matt Doherty, and Djed Spence.
Tottenham are reportedly interested in signing Sporting Lisbon’s Pedro Porro and Marcus Edwards in the January transfer window.
Spurs manager Antonio Conte is expected to sign a new winger this month to replace Emerson Royal, Matt Doherty, and Djed Spence. All three right-footed players have underperformed during their time at the Premier League club.
However, Sporting manager Ruben Amorim is determined to keep both Porro and Edwards. He has told reporters that they will be permitted to leave the Portuguese capital only if their respective release clauses are met. Tottenham would have to pay nearly £92 million for this.
According to the Evening Standard, Conte is interested in both players, but signing Porro is a top priority. The 21-year-old Spain international has performed admirably for Sporting since joining the Portuguese giants on loan from Manchester City in the summer of 2020.
Porro was instrumental in Sporting’s victory in the Primeira Liga two seasons ago, and he has also won the Taca da Liga, also known as the Portuguese League Cup, twice. His consistent form earned him his senior debut for Spain in March 2021, but he hasn’t won another cap since.
Meanwhile, Edwards could make a sensational return to Tottenham. The winger, who has yet to make his senior England debut, came through the London club’s academy before being released in the summer of 2019.
In Portugal, Edwards, 24, has rebuilt his career. He spent two and a half years at Vitoria de Guimaraes before joining Sporting a year ago. He’s continued to impress since the move, even scoring against Tottenham in the Champions League.
Sporting do not want to lose either player, despite Tottenham’s interest. “We are not as appealing a league as others, and we cannot pay the same wages,” Amorim recently told reporters. This is a problem; we have this problem even with Portuguese clubs.
“As previously stated, they only leave for the clause. We are prepared. Nobody here is blind to the number of attacks that go through Porro and Edwards. However, the market is what it is.”
Porro’s release clause is thought to be around £39.7 million, while Edwards’ is thought to be around £52 million. Conte’s reported desire to sign a new winger may disappoint Tottenham’s recruitment team, as three have recently joined the club.
The first was Doherty, who was signed in August 2020 from Premier League rivals Wolves. The 30-year-old has struggled to establish himself at the position, appearing in only 43 Premier League games. Emerson, 23, arrived in August 2021 from Barcelona. Despite the fact that the Brazil international has been a regular for Spurs, his performances have been criticized.
Spence was the final player to arrive, having been signed by Tottenham last summer after helping Nottingham Forest win promotion to the Premier League. Despite this, the 22-year-old has only played six games in all competitions this season. Tottenham spent around £60 million to sign Doherty (£15 million), Emerson (£25 million), and Spence (£20 million).