Reported ‘first target’ for Tottenham Hotspur in January clashed with Jose Mourinho last year

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Tottenham Hotspur have appointed Jose Mourinho as the replacement for Mauricio Pochettino and immediately attention is turning to the January transfer window. 

It is hard to see Daniel Levy failing to back the Portuguese in the way he did with Mauricio Pochettino and it is even harder to see Mourinho standing for it.

Some big names are already being linked with Tottenham for the winter, including Juventus star Paulo Dybala. Marca are even suggesting he is Mourinho’s first target as Tottenham manager.

Of course, Tottenham missed out in their pursuit of the Argentine in the summer. Now, with Mourinho at the helm, the hope is Spurs can lure the Juventus talent to London.

Unfortunately, as he has often done, Mourinho has previously rubbed up Dybala the wrong way. 

It came after Mourinho’s Manchester United had pulled off a dramatic late win against Juventus in Turin back in a 2018 Champions League tie. 

After the game, Mourinho cupped his ears to the home support, seemingly taunting the Old Lady fans. 

Several Juventus players took exception to the matter, especially Dybala, who appeared to remonstrate with Mourinho. 

Speaking about the event to Sky Sport Italia, Dybala stated that while he did not ‘insult’ Mourinho he did have some advice for the then-United boss. 

“I just told him that there was no need to make that gesture.

“There was no need to create more tension than there already was, sometimes you get insulted and it’s bad, but to create more tension than there already is…

“I told him there was no need, I didn’t insult him. I just told him that and left.”

TBR’s View

Will this event have any bearing on Dybala wanting to join Tottenham or not? It is very doubtful. Football is a notoriously fickle game and both parties have probably long since forgotten this even happened. 

More likely to stand in the way is his good form at Juventus, there almost guaranteed Champions League status and financial implications. 

Tottenham fans, however, will hope the Mourinho pulling power can win players of Dybala’s level over.