Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas believes that Tottenham Hotspur would have pushed ahead with a move for Al-Ittihad winger Jota if they had been unsuccessful in their pursuit of Timo Werner.
Werner has made a positive start to life at Spurs, picking up a crucial assist in his first game for the club against Manchester United and the forward will be hoping that his spell at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium proves much more successful than his time in West London.
It has been reported over the past week by various outlets (including The Athletic) that Ange Postecoglou has been a long-time admirer of the 27-year-old, who is said to have ticked all the boxes for the Australian coach.
The publication added that Werner’s tactical versatility was a big factor for Postecoglou while reports on the forward’s character were also said to be very positive, with the player described as being ‘highly motivated, conscientious, and team-focused’.
Jota was a back-up option to Timo Werner
While the Werner story seemed to come out of the blue around two weeks ago, until that point, it had been reported by various outlets that Jota was likely to be Tottenham’s top winger target this window (Telegraph).
It was even suggested by 90 min a few weeks ago that Spurs were confident of striking an agreement with Al-Ittihad for Jota, with the player alleged to be keen on a reunion with Postecoglou at the North London side.
Thomas believes that the Portuguese star would have been the player that Tottenham had turned to if they had not got their hands on the German.
The journalist said on The Last Word on Spurs podcast: “They also had a few loan options and I’m aware that Jota was a loan option for them, and I think that if they hadn’t signed Timo Werner that’s one they would’ve looked at a bit more seriously.”
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While the jury is still out on Werner and whether Postecoglou can get the best out of the German, there is no doubt in my mind that Jota would have been an even bigger gamble. We have seen absolutely no evidence yet that the 24-year-old winger is good enough for the highest level.