Tottenham: Barcelona winger targeted; no interest in German star; Icardi deal revived?

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After completing the signing of Vincent Janssen earlier this week, media reports are today suggesting that Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is hoping to further strengthen his squad with the addition of Barcelona winger Cristian Tello.

Spurs are apparently in the market for another attacker as they prepare for a busy season where they will be hoping to build on last season’s exploits by competing on all four fronts. The 24-year-old winger came through the youth system at Espanyol when Pochettino was in charge, before crossing the city to join Barca aged 18. Tello has made 59 league appearances during his time at the Camp Nou, scoring 11 goals, but has spent the last two seasons out on loan at Porto and Fiorentina.

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This summer he looks set to move on again, possibly on a permanent deal, and Spurs have reportedly expressed their interest in the player who has also been linked with Liverpool, Southampton and Swansea City. During his time in Florence last season, Tello scored twice and provided five assists in 15 matches, and Barcelona are expected to be looking for around £15 million for their man.

His addition would add some much-needed depth to an attack that possesses a lot of quality but is very thin on the ground. With a busy schedule inevitable this season, Pochettino cannot rely solely on Nacer Chadli and Erik Lamela for assists, so it is therefore imperative that he brings in some support in the wide positions. Tello could be the answer, and he is no stranger to Champions League football, something that cannot be said for many of the current Spurs side.

Meanwhile, the wife and agent of Inter Milan forward Mauro Icardi has reignited speculation that he is on his way to the Premier League. Wanda Nara, who was the subject of controversy after she left Icardi’s teammate Maxi Lopez for him a few years ago, has apparently claimed that both Spurs and their North London rivals Arsenal are interested in signing the 23-year-old Argentine.

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Inter had cooled ongoing speculation that Icardi would leave yesterday, when they announced that their captain would remain at the club for the foreseeable future, however, Nara’s latest comments have blown open the debate about the forward’s future yet again. She has been criticised in Italy for her recent remarks which have been perceived as an attempt to engineer a move away from Inter. If the claims are to be believed, though, then Spurs also face stiff competition from Atletico Madrid, Napoli and Roma for Icardi’s signature.

With the demands of Champions League football, the signing of Icardi would relieve the burden on the shoulders of Kane, but with Janssen already captured, Pochettino will surely be directing his attentions to strengthening other areas of the team such as in the wide positions. For this reason, it is unlikely that another forward is on the agenda just yet and it may well be that Icardi’s wife is merely doing her best to drum up interest in him.

In other news, the London Evening Standard are claiming that Spurs have distanced themselves from signing Bayern Munich’s Mario Gotze. Reports earlier in the week suggested that the Lilywhites were leading the race for the German international, but the club have confirmed that they have no interest in doing so, putting Borussia Dortmund in pole position to sign the 24-year-old.

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The newspaper mentions that Georginio Wijnaldum is one of a number of targets that Spurs are actively pursuing, with Pochettino clearly in the market for an attacking midfielder in order to lighten the load on Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen this season. Wijnaldum’s Newcastle teammate Moussa Sissoko is another player who has been linked with Tottenham of late, but the £35 million price tag that the Magpies reportedly slapped on his head following his performances in this summer’s European Championship may deter Pochettino from formalising his interest.

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