Tottenham’s pursuit of Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo has taken a new twist, and it will not please Daniel Levy.
Mbeumo has been a target of Thomas Frank ever since he was appointed manager of Spurs.
Tottenham have been battling with Manchester United to secure Mbeumo’s signature.
However, Brentford look set to up the asking price for their winger, and it’s supposedly not Tottenham’s or United’s fault.
Brentford to raise asking price for Mbeumo
Brentford were initially demanding £62.5million for Mbeumo.
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This was considered the ‘going rate’ for a goalscoring winger who’s proven in the Premier League, as it’s the figure that Manchester United paid Wolves for Matheus Cunha.
However, i news reports that Brentford are set to raise their valuation of Mbeumo based on bids by Premier League clubs for other players. These bids were Chelsea’s £60m for Brighton striker Joao Pedro and Newcastle’s £55m Anthony Elanga.
According to Brentford chiefs, if these players are worth those figures then they should be demanding even more for Mbeumo.
Manchester United were believed to be favourites to sign Mbeumo based on the player’s wishes, but this price increase could put them off, allowing Spurs to sneak in if they’re willing to pay the increased fee.
Mbeumo could be deemed worth the money by Frank
This update might not excite Spurs owner Levy, who is notoriously careful with his money and has a reputation as a fierce negotiator.
However, it could open the door for Tottenham to steal Mbeumo away from United.
Mbeumo had previously said that Manchester was his preferred destination. However, if the Old Trafford purse-strings don’t stretch far enough to make a successful offer, Spurs could get their man after all.
Frank will deem Mbeumo to be worth the money. He knows how to get the best out of the Cameroonian international, after all. Whether Levy will pay up is another question.
Of course, it might be concluded that there are better options out there at more reasonable prices. Indeed, Tottenham are edging closer to signing Mohammed Kudus – who can also play on the right wing – for an estimated £65m.