Champions League is poised to pay off early for Tottenham
Reports claim that Spurs are poised to turn Champions League qualification into the signing of Alexandre Lacazette
As Tottenham fans we are conditioned to temper our expectations when it comes to the summer transfer window. Time and time again we’ve identified high-level targets early in the summer only to see them head elsewhere to play Champions League football. Europe’s most prestigious competition may finally pay off for Tottenham this summer.
Spurs search for a striker to provide cover for Harry Kane has been the subject of a myriad of rumors all season long. As reliable and durable as Kane has been this year, Mauricio Pochettino knows he cannot risk heading into next season with just one senior striker. It’s almost certain that Tottenham will spend on a backup number nine this summer.
Candidly, I’ve spent a lot of time over the past several months trying to discern which striker might come to White Hart Lane this summer. Tottenham is faced with the difficult challenge of purchasing an attacker who willing to join Spurs with the knowledge that he won’t be the team’s first choice striker.
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Even with that restriction, Pochettino will want to purchase a young player with significant upside as opposed to a veteran on the downside of his career.
With that being said, I’ve never considered Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette as a reasonable target. He’s absolutely been on fire in Ligue One this season and is sure to draw significant transfer interest this summer from a variety of Europe’s biggest clubs. For most of the season, I’ve been convinced he will be out of Tottenham’s price and prestige range.
Needless to say, I was very surprised to read the Mirror’s latest report claiming that Tottenham is leading the race for the talented French hit man. The report alleges that Lacazette will be available for a fee of just under 25 million pounds this summer which is a sum that Daniel Levy can afford for such a talented prospect. Suddenly, the idea of Spurs landing Lacazette doesn’t seem so far-fetched.
Working in Tottenham’s favor is the club’s relationship with Lyon. Spurs have plucked both Hugo Lloris and Clinton N’Jie from the French club and the negotiation for each star have seemed to have progressed without any animosity. You have to think that the familiarity between the two parties will give Spurs an edge when it comes to negotiations for Lacazette.
If Levy and company are able to get this deal over the line, they’re going to owe a big debt to the team’s qualification for Champions League football. That’s going to give the club a tangible transfer edge this summer when competing with the likes of Chelsea. This summer the temptation of playing Champions League football will finally work in Tottenham’s favor. What a time to be a Spurs fan!
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Alexandre Lacazette may never join Tottenham, but the fact that Spurs are in the running for the prolific French forward shows just how different this summer is going to be at White Hart Lane.