Are Tottenham really interested in signing Bruno Fernandes?

Tottenham officials met with Sporting about a transfer for Bruno Fernandes on Thursday, but is he really a prime target for Mauricio Pochettino?

Mauricio Pochettino expressed his displeasure with Tottenham’s transfer window and club officials responded quickly and decisively. Mere days after the Argentine gaffer’s rant, Tottenham dispatched emissaries to Lisbon to discuss a move for Bruno Fernandes. The question is whether or not Spurs’ interested in the talented Portuguese midfielder is legitimate.

The Evening Standard is carrying a story citing Portuguese sources that claim Spurs sent multiple officials to Sporting on Thursday to negotiate a potential move for Fernandes. No deal is thought to be imminent, but Tottenham don’t typically send officials overseas unless they believe a deal can be consummated. On the surface, it certainly appears that Spurs’ interest in the 24-year-old is genuine.

There are, however, several other potential explanations for Tottenham making such a public display of interest. Pochettino and company could certainly be working to exert pressure onto Christian Eriksen. The talented Dane has a new contract offer in front of him, but he’s declined to put pen to paper. The idea of Tottenham purchasing a direct replacement could cause Eriksen to accelerate his decision-making.

There’s also a chance that Spurs are trying to pressure Real Betis to lower their transfer demands for Giovani Lo Celso. Tottenham have been in talks with the Spanish club about a potential move for the Argentine international for the better part of the summer. It’s believed that Lo Celso is keen to join, but officials at his club continue to ask an exorbitant price for his transfer. Flirting with another midfielder like Fernandes might cause Real Betis officials to become more reasonable with their demands.

The most likely explanation is that Tottenham are quite happy to tie up deals for two of the three midfielders in question. What Spurs cannot afford is to head into the 2019/20 campaign with no one to pull the strings in their attacking midfield. Even signing/retaining one player in this trio would leave Pochettino’s squad short on depth.

If you look at all three situations through that prism, it’s a clever move by Spurs to diversify their potential options. Tottenham might not have the financial resources to have all three players in their squad next season, but extending an offer to Fernandes greatly increases the probability of Pochettino getting two of his three targets. That outcome would signify a successful transfer gambit by the Premier League club.