The Telegraph have revealed that even though Ange Postecoglou wanted Tottenham to sign Nico Williams, the sums of money involved made the Athletic Club Bilbao star an unrealistic target for Spurs.
Tottenham wanted Nico Williams
Earlier this summer, a number of outlets reported that Tottenham were one of the clubs at the front of the queue for Williams’ signature (Football Insider).
However, the speculation has since died down, with a number of outlets suggesting over recent days that Barcelona are now closing in on a deal to sign the 22-year-old (Sport).
The Telegraph have now confirmed that Willaims was indeed on Postecoglou and Spurs’ radar at the start of the summer.
Why Spurs missed out on Nico Williams
In fact, the report says that the Lilywhites enquired about the conditions of the deal to take the Spain international to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The North London club were then allegedly informed that they would have to trigger the winger’s £50m release clause, with the whole amount needing to be paid upfront in one lumpsum
The publication adds that Postecoglou was understanding about the fact that this would not be realistic for Spurs.
Spurs Web Opinion
I do not think any club in Europe would consider paying £50m in one lump sum, especially in the current PSR climate.
It will be interesting to see which winger Spurs prioritise as we head into the final weeks of the transfer window.