Tottenham might have a different number nine had Saudi interest come earlier – TBR View

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Tottenham have made a fast start to Premier League life under new manager Ange Postecoglou this term.

After a decent enough transfer window which saw Tottenham land Brennan Johnson on deadline day, Spurs have also had a fine start to the season.

However, with the misfiring Richarlison now their main number nine, Tottenham might be forgiven for wishing the deadline was just that tad bit later.

Saudi interest in Richarlison might have been great for Tottenham

Reports from The Telegraph over the weekend have suggested that there was interest from the Saudi teams in signing Richarlison.

It’s claimed that with their hopes of signing Mo Salah fading, the Saudis were preparing to turn to Richarison as an alternative. As it played out, it was all too late in the day as the Saudi deadline passed without much noise. Of course, Salah remained in Liverpool and Richarlison in north London.

For Tottenham, though, there might be a feeling of regret that the Saudi window didn’t extend an extra day or so.

As we saw this weekend, Richarlison once again cut a frustrated and dejected figure after being subbed for Brazil on international duty. It’s been the story of his time at Spurs, really, and there might be some who wish that the Saudi interest had come earlier.

Tottenham paid around £60m to sign Richarlison and there will surely be some inside the club who would have jumped at the chance of taking Saudi money and getting that money back.

Certainly, it could well have been a different window for Spurs had the Saudi interest in Richarlison come earlier.

Having lost Harry Kane, moving Richarlison on would have given the club the genuine funds to go and get a world-class striker into the club.

So, while club insiders will hope Brennan Johnson pays off as a big-money signing, the sale of Richarlison might opened doors that were previously closed.