Tottenham working on £86m bid for Barcelona target amid “ambitious” Levy plan

Tottenham were once prepared to splash the cash on a new attacker earlier this summer, specifically Morgan Gibbs-White, and chairman Daniel Levy is displaying similar ambition weeks on from that botched deal.

Spurs were on the verge of welcoming the England international to N17 in a £60 million move, going as far as to book a medical for Gibbs-White this time last month (BBC).

However, after Evangelos Marinakis blocked the transfer, sent a letter to Tottenham threatening legal action and somehow convinced Gibbs-White to pen a new £150,000-per-week deal – this time with no release clause – Levy was forced to re-enter the market for a playmaker.

It’s truly astounding how quickly the tide can turn in football.

Tottenham were about to welcome both Mohammed Kudus and Gibbs-White in a statement £115 million double deal just a few weeks ago, but since then, Spurs have lost James Maddison to an ACL rupture and their squad looks even weaker than last season.

If Thomas Frank is to make a success of his first full season in charge, the Dane is in absolutely dire need of reinforcements before this summer’s transfer deadline on September 1 – particularly in attack.

Son Heung-min recently waved an emotional goodbye to Spurs after 10 years in north London, signing a two-year contract at Los Angeles FC in the MLS, with Dejan Kulusevski also still out for a “long time” after sustaining a serious knee injury last season.

Many high-profile attackers have been linked in the past few days alone, and one of them is AC Milan’s star man Rafael Leao.

The Portugal international was offered to Spurs by intermediaries recently, according to journalist Graeme Bailey, in the aftermath of Maddison’s injury and Son’s exit.

Even though Leao’s preference is to stay at the San Siro right now, another report has claimed that hasn’t stopped Levy from planning a mammoth offer for him.

Tottenham working on “ambitious” £86m bid for AC Milan forward Rafael Leao

According to reports from Spain, Tottenham are working on an “ambitious” £86m bid for Leao, who’s now their priority going forward.

The 26-year-old bagged 12 goals and 13 assists in all competitions for Milan last season, mainly as a left-winger in Son’s position, but did feature as a No.10 in their 1-0 defeat to Bologna in the Coppa Italia final.

Frank needs an elite, proven attacking player who can provide goals, assists and an end product, not to mention one who can cover multiple positions, so in this aspect, Leao appears to fit the bill.

Barcelona have also been linked with a move for the ex-Sporting CP sensation, but their well-documented financial problems could mean that Spurs hold an advantage over Hansi Flick’s side.

“Leao, he’s a strong player, he has extraordinary qualities,” said Rossoneri boss Massimiliano Allegri in a recent press conference.

“I think he’s growing, he’s at the right age to have a strong season.”