Tottenham have missed out on one of their big priority transfer targets of the summer.
It looked as if Morgan Gibbs-White would become a new Spurs player after the Lilywhites seemingly triggered the 25-year-old’s £60million release clause. But after Nottingham Forest shut down communications and threatened Spurs and the player’s agent with legal action, the transfer saga ended on Saturday with Gibbs-White signing a new deal with Forest.
New head coach Thomas Frank saw the England international as the perfect man for his Spurs system, having previously tried to sign Gibbs-White when he was in charge at Brentford.
James Maddison has travelled with the squad to Asia for their pre-season tour of Hong Kong and South Korea, but Dejan Kulusevski remains sidelined, leaving Spurs short of options in the No.10 role somewhat.
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There is an argument that Tottenham also need to address the No.6 position ahead of the summer transfer window closing.
But while that may be a priority, Tottenham could make an £80million signing that is not entirely necessary to make up for the Gibbs-White failure.
Spurs have been linked with a move for Rodrygo from Real Madrid, with the Brazilian looking set to leave the Santiago Bernabeu this summer.
Xabi Alonso has arrived as new head coach, taking over from Carlo Ancelotti, and Rodrygo has found his game time so far limited under the Spaniard, playing little part in Los Blancos’ Club World Cup tournament.
The 24-year-old has been linked with a move to the Premier League for much of the summer, with the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool tipped to make a move, before completing deals for Noni Madueke and Florian Wirtz respectively.
Now Tottenham have emerged as potential suitors, and while Spurs are well stocked in the forward department, a player of Rodrygo’s calibre coming through the door would certainly make supporters forget the loss of Gibbs-White.
Rodrygo is comfortable anywhere across the frontline and would be a statement signing at a time when Spurs look to be lagging behind their rivals in the new signings stakes.
