Leandro Damiao Still Most Likely To Follow Paulinho And Villa To Spurs

Many Spurs fans will have been worried in recent weeks that most summer signings were going to be left until transfer deadline day as they often are at White Hart Lane. Fortunately this summer things appear to be happening much earlier than usual, perhaps because of the appointment of Franco Baldini as Technical Director. Online bookies have suspended betting on the next club of Paulinho after he confirmed that he expects to join Spurs any day now and the bookies suggest there could be plenty more signings to come.

David Villa is another who is expected to be a Spurs player sooner rather than later and although there are reports that the deal is done, the fact that the bookies are still offering 1/3 that Villa joins Spurs suggests that Villa is very likely to sign, not certain. If Villa does sign he is likely to play in a left sided attacking role meaning Spurs will still be in the market for an out and out striker, but who is most likely to sign?

According to the bookies the most likely man to be leading the line for Spurs next season is long term target Leandro Damiao. Spurs have been trying to sign the Brazilian for two years now without success and Southampton have reportedly taken an interest recently but Spurs are in pole position at just 2/1 to be Damiao’s next club whilst Southampton are next best at 6/1. Spaniard Roberto Soldado has also been strongly linked and, given how negotiations have gone with Damiao’s club Internacional in the past, it would be no surprise if Spurs see Soldado as an easier signing. Having both Soldado and Villa in the same team could also be a bonus as the pair are Spanish team mates and it could be worth a bet at 9/4 that the Valencia man ends up a Spurs man.

Spurs certainly seem to have a longlist rather than a shortlist of striker options. Christian Benteke has also been suggested as a possible signing and although Spurs are 3/1 to sign the Belgian international he is just 4/6 to remain at Aston Villa who are trying to price him out of the market. There are other options too; Porto’s Jackson Martinez is another who seems to have a huge price tag that Daniel Levy won’t pay and he is 4/1 to join Spurs this summer, ahead of Demba Ba who is 15/2 and Alvaro Negredo who is 12/1 to join Spurs.

Anyone still worrying about Gareth Bale’s future might want to back the Welshman to leave at 2/1 to soften the blow but those odds and the 4/11 that he stays put suggest the media are exaggerating his desire to move on. Whether Bale stays or goes there could be more signings at Spurs. Wigan’s James McCarthy has been linked and he’s just 6/4 to join (5/4 to link up with Roberto Martinez again at Everton) whilst Inter’s Fredy Guarin is also a possibility at 2/1 but, presuming the Paulinho goes through without any hitches, it looks unlikely that Spurs will spend big on another central midfielder. A left back looks more likely, AVB has never really looked a fan of Benoit Assou-Ekotto and whilst Real Madrid’s Fabio Coentrao has been talked about as a possible replacement, unfortunately he’s 20/1 to join Spurs and just 1/3 to be a Monaco player next term.

Sam Darby writes for sports betting community site OLBG.com where members discuss and share their best bets, competing for a share of £5,000 in monthly cash prizes and £2,000 in free bets.

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