Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly undeterred when it comes to their interest in a top World Cup attacking talent, who is on the club’s radar as an alternative if they do not seal a deal for Savinho.
The Manchester City star remains the club’s top option to fill their problematic left-wing spot, a position they failed to fix after the departure of club legend Son Heung-min last summer.
The likes of Wilson Odobert, Mathys Tel and Xavi Simons all failed to convince on the left side of Tottenham‘s attack, although it was never really the latter’s best position as he flourished more centrally before suffering an ACL injury.
Richarlison and loanee Randal Kolo Muani were also tried out there to little success and it remains one of two positions Spurs have yet to fix after a busy summer window to date.
Upgrading the defence and midfield has been firmly ticked off, but landing a left-winger and new No.9 remain major priorities before the window shuts on September 1.
Another player being tipped to fill that void left by Son’s exit is Norway World Cup sensation Andreas Schjelderup, who currently plays his football in Portugal with Benfica.
The 22-year-old made a big impression in North America, notching four assists and scoring with a stunning cross-shot against England in the quarter-finals.
And Football Insider‘s Pete O’Rourke has confirmed Tottenham’s interest in the talented attacker, revealing: “Schjelderup’s World Cup performances have caught the eye of some of the biggest clubs across Europe, including multiple Premier League clubs.
“I know Tottenham have shown an interest and are in the market for a new left-sided winger or forward, so Schjelderup definitely ticks a lot of boxes for them in that respect, as that is where he plays for Norway and Benfica. He had a very good World Cup.”
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Schjelderup a cheaper Savinho alternative
While TEAMtalk sources have revealed that a £60million deal for Savinho is close to being signed off, the amount of time it’s taken to get the move over the line has to create some nagging concerns.
It could also be strongly argued that Schjelderup represents better value and has much stronger numbers to his name, albeit in a lesser league.
The Norwegian is set to be available for a fee in the region of £43m, although new Benfica boss Marco Silva is adamant that he wants the player to remain in Lisbon.
In 43 games last season, Schjelderup managed 10 goals and seven assists, with two of those goals coming in the Champions League and seven in the Portuguese league.
Savinho, on the other hand, managed just one goal in the Premier League last campaign and four in all competitions.
While Benfica are looking to tie Schjelderup to a new contract, it’s reported that he is open to leaving Portugal this summer and is keen to test himself in the Premier League.
That being said, the fact that Spurs have chased Savinho for as long as they – allied to his Premier League experience – suggests that the Brazilian is far more likely to be turning out for De Zerbi this coming season than the Benfica man.