5 Jorge Mendes clients that could solve Tottenham’s transfer problems

Tottenham: First six fixtures of 2021/22 Premier League season

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Tottenham are in serious need of a squad overhaul this summer. Having finally solved their managerial conundrum by hiring Nuno Espirito Santo, now is the time to make some moves in the transfer window.

Over the past few months most of the news about Spurs has been farcical: their search for a successor to Jose Mourinho dragged on and on, with several names coming and going.

In the end, after 72 days, chairman Daniel Levy landed on one of the most obvious options, who had been available to him the entire time.

To many Spurs fans, Nuno is not an exciting prospect and he arguably does not fit the ‘Tottenham DNA’ brief which Levy himself laid out. But he is here now and the club must move fast to furnish him with the best possible squad.

As well as Nuno, Fabio Paratici was hired as football director – a role which will see him take the lead in the transfer market.

While his connections to Italy, and Juventus in particular, will no doubt form the basis of some business, there is another avenue Spurs can explore.

Like his compatriot Mourinho, Nuno is represented by Portuguese super agent Jorge Mendes, who has played a major role in his career so far.

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At his previous club, Wolves, Nuno made heavy use of Mendes’ client base at his agency Gestifute, regularly signing Portugues players.

Spurs already have Mendes connections at the club in the form of Nuno and former Wolves right-back Matt Doherty, while last season’s loanee Carlos Vinicius is another.

With time ticking until transfer deadline day on August 31, Express Sport looks at other Mendes clients Tottenham could make use of.

Renato Sanches

The Portuguese midfielder is still only 23 and, after an impressive Euro 2020, could be on the move from French title-winners Lille this summer.

Sanches has been linked with Liverpool, Barcelona and Arsenal, but, according to lesport10, Spurs have ‘strong feelings’ about him too.

Although Tanguy Ndombele has shown flashes, and Giovani Lo Celso could perform the role in theory, Sanches offers a box-to-box midfielder Spurs have lacked since Mousa Dembele’s departure two years ago.

His ability to beat players one-on-one and pick a pass would be a welcome addition to the squad.

Bernardo Silva

Silva has been repeatedly linked with a move away from Manchester City since the end of the season, with the competition for places under Pep Guardiola a growing frustration.

City are desperate to sign Kane – and while Levy understandably does not want to sell – Silva would be a high-quality makeweight if a deal does go through.

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The Athletic says Silva is one of the players Man City would be willing to include in a deal for Kane, meaning he is attainable.

The 26-year-old didn’t have the best Euro 2020 but has Premier League pedigree and could step straight into Spurs line-up next season.

Pedro Neto

A player Nuno knows very well from his time at Wolves. Neto was one of Wolves stand-out players during a low-key campaign in 2020/21 and looks capable of making a step up.

Neto registered five goals and six assists in 31 Premier League appearances last season and offers a useful flexibility at the age of 21.

The youngster played across every forward position last season, is a good crosser and dangerous coming inside into shooting areas.

If Kane stays, a front three of Kane, Son Heung-min and Neto would be an enticing prospect.

Rafael Leao

Spurs are in the market for the striker this summer after Vinicius failed to do enough to have the £36m option in his loan deal triggered.

Tottenham have already missed a trick by not signing Andre Silva, who has joined RB Leipzig for around £19.6million from Eintracht Frankfurt after scoring 28 goals in 32 Bundesliga appearances last season.

They don’t have a great track record with strikers over the past decade, with Roberto Soldado, Alvaro Negredo, Vincent Janssen and Fernando Llorente all flops to varying degrees.

Yet there is a Mendes client who could change that record. AC Milan forward Leao enjoyed a breakthrough campaign last season with six goals and six assists in 30 Serie A appearances and will likely soon to be touted for a move to the Premier League.

The 22-year-old signed a five-year deal with Milan in 2019, so won’t come cheap, however.

Goncalo Guedes

Aged 24, Guedes is already an established player of serious quality.

The Portuguese international has played as a withdrawn central striker for Valencia, in attacking midfield and on the left of midfield.

He returned five goals and five assists in 31 La Liga appearances last season, so isn’t a goal machine, but is still a decent option for Spurs.

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