Tottenham are looking to complete a deal for Jose Mourinho's 'number one' striking target Carlos Vinicius on an initial loan from Benfica.
The powerful forward netted 24 times and provided a further 13 assists in 47 appearances in all competitions last season. The 25-year-old only made the switch to Portugal last summer, but after impressing in 2019/20 he has been linked with a move away.
Following on from this morning's story, Spurs are trying to close a loan with an option to buy for £36.3m deal for Benfica striker Carlos Vinicius. The 25-year-old was Jose Mourinho's number one target this summer. The Brazilian scored 24 goals and laid on 13 assists last season.
— Alasdair Gold (@AlasdairGold) September 30, 2020
Football London reporter Alasdair Gold has now reported that Tottenham are looking to conclude a loan deal for Vinicius as Mourinho looks to find a back-up striker to Harry Kane. Spurs are hoping to initially sign the forward on loan, but with an option to sign him on a permanent basis for £36.3m.
Vinicius has been identified as the 'number one' striking target this summer by Mourinho, while his versatility also means he can capably operate on the wing. The Premier League outfit had shown an interest in the player earlier in the summer, but they were put off by Benfica's asking price. However, their inability to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League have 'helped matters'.
Gold also notes that if a potential loan deal were to go through for Vinicius, this would have no impact on Gedson Fernandes' move to north London.
The need for Tottenham to bring in a back-up centre-forward was once again laid bare on Tuesday evening as Mourinho was forced to start with Erik Lamela up front in the win over Chelsea. While the Argentine did step up and deliver to help his side progress in the Carabao Cup, Mourinho had to turn to him as he looked to give Kane a rest.
Spurs have already strengthened this summer with the additions of Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, Matt Doherty, Joe Hart, Sergio Reguilon and, of course, the loan signing of Gareth Bale from Real Madrid. The addition of Vinicius would provide some much-needed depth in attack and provide some valuable cover for Kane.
Source: 90min
