Report suggests Tottenham Hotspur bid accepted for Paulo Dybala, but complicated issues make deal difficult

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Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly agreed a fee with Juventus for the signature of Paulo Dybala.

As reported by Sky Italia, and relayed by Sky Sports News, Tottenham have had an offer of €70 million (£64.5m) accepted for the Argentine international. 

Tottenham fans are of course extremely excited about this update. However, there is also reason to be cautious. 

Manchester United were in a similar position with Dybala recently. That deal fell through. The reason why, as reported by The Times, was two-fold. Firstly, the player was not overly keen on a move to Old Trafford. Secondly, finances were an issue. Dybala reportedly wanted a £350,000-a-week contract whilst agents fees were set to be worth around £18 million. 

Then there are the image rights issues. As reported by MARCA, Dybala’s current rights are still owned by a third-party, Star Image. Dybala is said to be embroiled in legal proceedings regarding the issue, stemming from his exit from his previous agent.

With that in mind, Tottenham face a massive uphill battle to get a deal done regardless of having a bid accepted.

So where do Tottenham perhaps have an edge?

Firstly, of course, there is the offer of Champions League football. Tottenham made the final of the competition last season and Dybala will undoubtedly be tempted by that fact. 

Then there is the Pochettino factor. Having a fellow Argentine in charge could certainly give Tottenham an advantage as they attempt to secure the services of Dybala this season. 

Add to that a new stadium, London as a location and the presence of Argentine compatriots Juan Foyth, Paulo Gazzaniga and Erik Lamela and Tottenham have a convincing argument. 

Whether that proves enough to get Dybala’s wage demands down remains to be seen. But Tottenham fans will undoubtedly be aware that getting this complex deal over the line before Thursday’s deadline looks an extremely tough task.