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Tottenham Hotspur: Journalist urges Spurs to pursue players like Raphinha

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Journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed that Tottenham Hotspur should be on the lookout for players such as Raphinha in the summer, though he may be out of their reach.

Raphinha has been somewhat a standout performer for Leeds United this season, as he has scored nine goals and registered three assists in 27 Premier League games, which makes him the club’s top scorer.

Spurs have recently acquired Dejan Kulusevski on loan from Juventus, and he has impressed so far after he has notched six goal contributions in nine Premier League games, so Antonio Conte may be keen on signing him on a permanent deal in the future.

But with Raphinha being linked with a move to La Liga, when talking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke has said that the Brazilian may be out of their reach due to his hefty price tag.

He said: “I think he’s the type of player that Spurs need to be looking at if they are to close the gap on the top sides across Europe. So yeah, I think it’d be a good one, but I think he just might be out of Tottenham’s reach right now.”

TIF Thoughts on Pete O’Rourke’s comments…

Raphinha, who joined Leeds for £17m in October 2020, was particularly impressive for his side in the early stages of the season, but recently he has seen his form drop, and he has failed to score in his last five Premier League games. However, he has been vital for Leeds this season, posting an average of 2.7 shots per game and creating nine big chances, as per SofaScore.

The Brazilian has a release clause in his contract of €70m (£62.5m), and this may be a figure out of Daniel Levy’s summer budget range. Conte recently signed Kulusevski on an 18-month loan so they may opt to go for the Swede, who has been in better form recently, and would be much cheaper if Spurs are to pay an obligatory £29.2m to make the deal permanent.

Interestingly, compatriot Emerson Royal has already been in contact with Raphinha as he dropped a message under his Instagram post last October after an international clash, but whether they can turn their friendship into interest is another matter entirely.

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