This summer’s Gareth Bale saga has been frustrating for Tottenham fans in a number of ways. One of the most frustrating aspects of it, however, has been the way that every transfer story gets refracted through the ‘Bale spectrum’.
In other words, we only seem to be hearing about deals that are dependent on Bale moving on this summer. Every link, in one way or another, links to Gareth Bale. It’s beginning to get more than a little tedious.
So it’s refreshing to see a Tottenham transfer story that has absolutely nothing to with Bale.
According to The Mirror, Spurs have their eye on Real Madrid left-back Fabio Coentrao. You’d think this would be a good opportunity for the tabloids to engineer a potential swap deal, but the source takes pains to note that Tottenham are keeping tabs on Coentrao, ‘regardless of the club’s pursuit of Gareth Bale’.
It’s claimed that Coentrao is a long-term favourite of Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas, who has tried to bring the Real Madrid player to the Premier League on two previous occasions (once with Chelsea and once with Tottenham).
I’m not surprised AVB is an admirer of Coentrao. There’s a reason why Real Madrid were willing to spend 30m euros on him back in 2011. He’s one of the best attacking left-backs in European football.
He gets up and down the wings with great pace, isn’t afraid to take players on and is dangerous once he has beaten his man. His proficiency going forward is doubtless due to the fact that he’s been deployed as a left-winger on numerous occasions throughout his career.
Whilst his career hasn’t exactly stalled since his big money move to the Bernabeu, I’m sure the player himself would like some more game-time. Last season he played just 30 games and the season before that he played 33 games.
The Mirror claim that Coentrao wont be part of Carlo Ancelotti’s plans at the Bernabeu and could be offloaded for just £13m.
That’s a genuine bargain for one of the best left-backs in world football. The player himself seems to need a change in surroundings and Spurs can offer him this. If he starts firing on all cylinders again, Tottenham are sure to profit.
Better still, Spurs don’t have to sell Gareth Bale to make a deal happen. That strikes me as a victory on all fronts.
What’s your take? Should Spurs snap up Real Madrid star Fabio Coentrao?
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I say gab him, but quickly.
My take is to retain Rose. If retaining Rose meaning to give up on Coentrao, then so be it. Reason is Tottenham Hotspur need 17 non home grown players and 8 home grown players to form a team of 25 as required in the rule. Caulker has left spurs and joining home grown players to exit from the team is Huddlestone, Parker and Livermore. Who’s left? Only 9 inclusive of Gareth Bale, which could be sold too. The nine is Rose, Walker, Naughton, Dawson, Townsend, Lennon, Defoe, Sigurdsson and Bale. If Bale leaves and replaced by Erik Lamela, then Spurs only have 8 home grown players. Look like sacrifice need to be taken somewhere, either don’t have strong left back position or left winger or somewhere else. So, retaining a home grown player is indeed important now, if Coentrao in and Rose out, meaning some other position in the team will be weaken too, because of te 8 homegrown rules. To me, left back is less urgent position compare to other position which need more attention.
The plain truth of the matter is that Real Madrid still owe Spurs somewhere in the region of £12-15m from the Modric deal. From that perspective then, surely we can look at this as a simple case of the buyer settling his debt?? If so, the deal gets even better if we get Coentrao for nothing….. Just a thought!!
Just linked to this from newsnow. Yes Harry! and yes please to coentrao especially without bale going the other way!
Yeah buy him quick before RM act all Levy and rocket up his price to £39mil
It’s nice to see Mr Levey using both pocket’s.AVB say’s he wants good players to get us into 3/4 place this season,but as with every year here they are dithering again.Just get on with it buy the players,it’s about time we got on a par with the like’s of Arsenal,Chelsea,M.C,M.U.If Bale wants to go sell him,one man dose not make a team.So go on get on with it.
wow what a team were building
got a feeling this is already a done deal being held up by the international break. Allegedly being funded by outstanding balance Real owe us for Modric.