Tottenham set their sights on expensive January target

Tottenham didn’t make any signings in the summer, but if Spurs land Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in January their fans will forgive Daniel Levy.

Daniel Levy deservedly has taken a lot of criticism for Tottenham’s inability to sign any players last summer. That doesn’t mean Spurs are set to continue their slumber in January. In fact, the club’s interest in Sergej Milinkovic-Savic seems to indicate the club are willing to spend big in the upcoming transfer window.

The Mirror reports that scouts from Tottenham, Liverpool and City have all travelled to Lazio in recent days to get a closer look at the Serbian ace. Milinkovic-Savic was strongly linked with a move to Manchester United during the summer, but Lazio resisted the Premier League club. Officials at the Serie A club still believe they can tie him down to a new deal.

Simply put, the fact that multiple Premier League clubs have chosen to send scouts to Lazio within the last week seems to indicate they believe the central midfielder is willing to move. No club will be able to acquire him cheaply though. Bids at Milinkovic-Savic will likely need to begin somewhere around £80 million.

Tottenham fans have every reason to doubt their club’s willingness to spend that kind of money. That would shatter the club’s transfer record. On the other hand, it’s obvious Mauricio Pochettino deserves investment. Purchasing a premier talent like Milinkovic-Savic would be a show of strong support by Levy and company.

It’s hard to imagine a better fit for the way Spurs like to play. The Serbian is a very skilled attacker, but he’s also a tireless runner. His work on the defensive end of the pitch is almost as impressive as his offensive exploits. He’s a bit like Ivan Perisic in his ability to be a legitimate force on both ends of the pitch.

Tottenham’s interest shouldn’t get fans too excited though. Even if Levy is willing to pay Lazio a massive fee, there will be a ton of competition for his services. Outbidding the likes of Liverpool, City and potentially other European clubs will be quite difficult. Spurs’ best chance of competing this sensational swoop will be for Pochettino to convince the player that Tottenham are the best option available for his career.

At the very least, Tottenham fans should be pleased at the club’s level of activity. They are obviously scouring the globe for talent at the moment. Expect January to be a very interesting time for Spurs.