Former Tottenham scout, Mick Brown, has claimed that contrary to what Ange Postecoglou has suggested, the North London club are planning to listen to offers for Rodrigo Bentancur this summer.
Two of Tottenham’s senior midfielders, Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma, will both enter the final year of their contracts this summer.
Reports over recent weeks have indicated that while Bissouma could leave Spurs this summer, the North London club plan to keep hold of the Uruguayan.
Various outlets have suggested that Tottenham have begun talks with Bentancur over a new long-term deal ahead of the summer window.
Surprising claim made about Tottenham’s stance on Rodrigo Bentancur
When quizzed on the former Juventus man two weeks ago, Ange Postecoglou made it clear that Bentancur is part of his Spurs plans, but the Australian refused to give anything away about a potential new contract for the 27-year-old.
However, Mick Brown, who remains well connected at Hotspur Way, believes that despite Postescoglou’s public backing of Bentancur, Tottenham are very much open to cashing in on the midfielder this summer.
Brown told Football Insider: “Ange Postecoglou is not happy with his midfield options. It’s such a key area of the team, and the players at his disposal have not been good enough.
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“They’ve failed to impress when called upon so far this season, and Bentancur now is not part of Tottenham’s plans moving forward. So if they can get rid of him and bring in a decent fee, it’s definitely something they’ll consider.
“I hear there are clubs in Europe who have been looking at a move in the summer. The same is the case for Bissouma, he’s not reached the levels they’ve expected of him.
“Tottenham have been so inconsistent this season, they can win 3-0 one week and lose 3-0 the next, and the midfield is a key reason for that. If they can bring in money for their current options, that will allow them to spend on replacements. I think that’s going to be their plan when the window opens.”
Why Ange Postecoglou will be tempted to keep Bentacnur
The writing seems on the wall for Bissouma and it seems fairly clear that Tottenham will prioritise strengthening in midfield this summer.
However, Postecoglou will likely be tempted to hang onto Bentancur as a squad player even if the Australian does not see him as a regular starter.
This is a very young Spurs squad and Postecoglou might be wary of losing too much experience (Bentancur, Davies, Richarlison, Son etc) in the same window.
Besides, it has been well-documented that Bentancur has stepped up in a major way as a leader behind the scenes this season.