Tottenham ‘confident’ of deal for prolific Serie A striker – with Mourinho favourite offered as bait Tottenham have been locked in secret talks to sign Arkadiusz Milik for a number of weeks – and have left a sizeable bid on the table with Napoli, according to reports in Italy. Jose Mourinho’s need to bring in more firepower this summer is well documented with the Tottenham boss looking for more firepower to provide cover and competition for Harry Kane. Spurs may actually need a replacement for Kane if the striker’s admission that he won’t “stay for the sake of it” leads to a transfer away; thankfully for their supporters though, a move to Manchester United at least looks off the table. And according to Tuttosport, [via Sport Witness] top of Mourinho’s wish-list is Polish striker Milik, who looks destined to leave Napoli this summer. The 26-year-old Poland striker, who has hit 12 goals for Napoli this season, looks set to leave Naples in the summer with talks over a new deal failing to see an agreement reached. Milik has held contract talks with the club with his current deal ready to expire in 2021, but he is chasing a salary close to €4m per year, and the Partenopei are not keen. Just last month it was reported that outspoken president Aurelio De Laurentiis has already made it known to the player’s entourage that he will not listen to offers of less than €40m, and was chasing nearer €50m for the attacker, who signed from Ajax on 1 August 2016 for €35m. And news that they are willing to sell has seemingly piqued Tottenham’s interest, with Tuttosport claiming Daniel Levy has long since held talks over a summer approach. Furthermore – and perhaps somewhat surprisingly – they claim Tottenham’s offer consists of a sizeable lump sum of cash together with Brazilian forward Lucas Moura offered as a makeweight as part of the deal. They claim Spurs are optimisitic their offer will be accepted and believe their bid, left on the table for Napoli to consider, will result in Milik’s arrival in north London. Spurs are not alone, however, in their pursuit for Milik, with both Juventus and Chelsea also said to be pondering bids. But with De Laurentiis preferring to sell the player abroad, and with Spurs having been, as Tuttosport describes, “pressing for weeks”, it seems a move to Tottenham looks most likely for the striker at this stage. However, it does seem somewhat unlikely that Moura would be a player that Mourinho would willing sacrifice with the player something of a big favourite of the Portuguese firebrand since he took charge at Tottenham. Moura had been one of the main beneficiaries of the Mourinho era so far after figuring prominently during his reign, with the Portuguese also revealing he tried to sign Moura when he was in charge of Real Madrid. He never really hit the heights under Mauricio Pochettino, apart from that magical night in Amsterdam where his hat-trick sent Spurs to the Champions League final, but Moura felt he was not utilised effectively and has indicated he didn’t always have the trust of the former Tottenham boss. “I am happy he likes me and he said it, it is very important to me to have this confidence from the coach and I hope to help him, help the team,” he said. “I will always give my best and I am happy for the opportunity he has given me. I think everyone knows him. I don’t need to speak about him because he is a winner, a champion. “He has a lot of trophies and I am sure he has much to bring for us and to add to our team, our club. “Every player wants to play, it doesn’t matter the position. But everyone knows I am not a No.9, it is not my best position. “When Pochettino put me there I always gave my best because for me the most important thing is the team but each coach has one opinion, a different mind. “Now I feel very good in this position (as a wide player). I always played in this position, I feel good and I am happy.” Moura, however, isn’t the only Tottenham player being linked with Napoli, with the club also said to be eyeing a defensive stalwart. Should they land Milik, however, Spurs will be recruiting one of Serie A’s most potent strikers with the Pole having netted 46 times in 109 appearances for the club. In other Tottenham news, Mourinho is said to have identified a £52m ‘monster’ to solve their defensive issues. The post Tottenham ‘confident’ of deal for prolific Serie A striker – with Mourinho favourite offered as bait appeared first on teamtalk.com.

Tottenham have been locked in secret talks to sign Arkadiusz Milik for a number of weeks – and have left a sizeable bid on the table with Napoli, according to reports in Italy.

Jose Mourinho’s need to bring in more firepower this summer is well documented with the Tottenham boss looking for more firepower to provide cover and competition for Harry Kane. Spurs may actually need a replacement for Kane if the striker’s admission that he won’t “stay for the sake of it” leads to a transfer away; thankfully for their supporters though, a move to Manchester United at least looks off the table. 

And according to Tuttosport, [via Sport Witness] top of Mourinho’s wish-list is Polish striker Milik, who looks destined to leave Napoli this summer.

The 26-year-old Poland striker, who has hit 12 goals for Napoli this season, looks set to leave Naples in the summer with talks over a new deal failing to see an agreement reached.

Milik has held contract talks with the club with his current deal ready to expire in 2021, but he is chasing a salary close to €4m per year, and  the Partenopei are not keen.

Just last month it was reported that outspoken president Aurelio De Laurentiis has already made it known to the player’s entourage that he will not listen to offers of less than €40m, and was chasing nearer €50m for the attacker, who signed from Ajax on 1 August 2016 for €35m.

And news that they are willing to sell has seemingly piqued Tottenham’s interest, with Tuttosport claiming Daniel Levy has long since held talks over a summer approach.

Furthermore – and perhaps somewhat surprisingly – they claim Tottenham’s offer consists of a sizeable lump sum of cash together with Brazilian forward Lucas Moura offered as a makeweight as part of the deal.

They claim Spurs are optimisitic their offer will be accepted and believe their bid, left on the table for Napoli to consider, will result in Milik’s arrival in north London.

Spurs are not alone, however, in their pursuit for Milik, with both Juventus and Chelsea also said to be pondering bids.

But with De Laurentiis preferring to sell the player abroad, and with Spurs having been, as Tuttosport describes, “pressing for weeks”, it seems a move to Tottenham looks most likely for the striker at this stage.

However, it does seem somewhat unlikely that Moura would be a player that Mourinho would willing sacrifice with the player something of a big favourite of the Portuguese firebrand since he took charge at Tottenham.

Moura had been one of the main beneficiaries of the Mourinho era so far after figuring prominently during his reign, with the Portuguese also revealing he tried to sign Moura when he was in charge of Real Madrid.

He never really hit the heights under Mauricio Pochettino, apart from that magical night in Amsterdam where his hat-trick sent Spurs to the Champions League final, but Moura felt he was not utilised effectively and has indicated he didn’t always have the trust of the former Tottenham boss.

“I am happy he likes me and he said it, it is very important to me to have this confidence from the coach and I hope to help him, help the team,” he said.

“I will always give my best and I am happy for the opportunity he has given me. I think everyone knows him. I don’t need to speak about him because he is a winner, a champion.

“He has a lot of trophies and I am sure he has much to bring for us and to add to our team, our club.

 

 

“Every player wants to play, it doesn’t matter the position. But everyone knows I am not a No.9, it is not my best position.

“When Pochettino put me there I always gave my best because for me the most important thing is the team but each coach has one opinion, a different mind.

“Now I feel very good in this position (as a wide player). I always played in this position, I feel good and I am happy.”

Moura, however, isn’t the only Tottenham player being linked with Napoli, with the club also said to be eyeing a defensive stalwart.

Should they land Milik, however, Spurs will be recruiting one of Serie A’s most potent strikers with the Pole having netted 46 times in 109 appearances for the club.

In other Tottenham news, Mourinho is said to have identified a £52m ‘monster’ to solve their defensive issues.

 

The post Tottenham ‘confident’ of deal for prolific Serie A striker – with Mourinho favourite offered as bait appeared first on teamtalk.com.

James Marshment