Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has admitted that he does not know what the future holds for rumoured Tottenham target Lloyd Kelly.
Reports over the last few weeks have continued to suggest that Kelly is one of the names at the top of Tottenham’s wishlist, with the Lilywhites backed to reignite their interest in the centre-back in January after missing out on him in the summer (GiveMeSport).
The 25-year-old’s current deal at the Vitality Stadium runs out next summer (Transfermarkt) but there have been some suggestions recently that the Cherries would rather hold on to him and risk losing him on a free since he is central to their hopes of staying in the top flight (talkSPORT).
Tottenham are not the only ones eyeing a move for Kelly, with the likes of Juventus (Fabrizio Romano), AC Milan (Calciomercato.it), Liverpool (Football Insider) and Arsenal (Tuttosport) also credited with an interest in the defender.
Bournemouth do not want to lose Lloyd Kelly
Iraola has now admitted that Kelly is one of the Cherries’ key players and that it would be a blow to lose him in January.
When asked about the centre-back’s future, the Bournemouth boss told Daily Echo: “I don’t know what will happen. I don’t want to lose him. For me, he is a very, very good player. I would say he is one of our best players and he has been playing really well for me in the games he has been available.
“He started with a small injury, but whenever he has been fit, he has been doing really well for us. I value him very highly. It’s normal that he is associated with other big clubs because I think he has a good level. Of course, I don’t want to lose him.”
Spurs Web Opinion
Given that Tottenham seemingly were not willing to pay over £20m for Kelly in the summer, it is unlikely they would bid more than that in January, given his contract situation.
I suspect Bournemouth would rather hold on to the 25-year-old if they feel his staying would significantly improve their chances of preserving their Premier League status.