Multiple Spanish outlets are now breaking news regarding Johnny Cardoso’s transfer decision, and it is not good news for Tottenham.
Reports over recent days have indicated that Spurs are wasting no time in pushing ahead with transfer deals after securing Champions League qualification via the Europa League.
It has been reported that Tottenham are prioritising signing Cardoso, with the Lilywhites having a £21m option to buy the midfielder this summer.
However, more recently, some sources from Spain have suggested that Cardoso may turn down a move to Tottenham, and it has now emerged that a Champions League side have moved ahead of the Lilywhites in the race for the 23-year-old.
Tottenham will earn money from any Cardoso sale thanks to a sell-on clause they agreed during their transfer of Giovani Lo Celso to Betis last summer.
Johnny Cardoso wants Atletico Madrid over Tottenham
ESPN have now claimed that Tottenham’s option to buy may go to waste as it is Atletico who are at the front of the queue to land Johnny Cardoso.
The La Liga giants are prioritising signing a deep-lying midfielder and have identified Cardoso as an ideal fit, and they may be able to strike a deal quickly, given Betis’ desperation to balance their books.
This information has also been backed up by Marca, who say that Tottenham will not execute their clause as the USA international has already made it clear that his priority is to join Atletico.
The outlet states that Cardoso has emerged as Diego Simeone’s number one midfield target for the summer, with the La Liga side set to accelerate the move, now that the Europa Conference League final is over.
Which other midfielders are Tottenham eyeing?
If these reports are correct in saying that Cardoso is set to reject Tottenham in favour of a move to Atletico, the North Londoners would have to turn their attention to other alternatives.
According to recent reports, Spurs are confident of winning the race for Angel Gomes, who is set to leave Lille on a free transfer.
It has also been claimed by a few sources that Tottenham are admirers of Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White.