Wolves ready to battle Tottenham for striker Carlos Vinicius
Wolves ready to battle Tottenham for on-loan Benfica striker Carlos Vinicius… and have an ace up their sleeve with Portuguese club interested in making defender Ruben Vinagre part of a £26million part-exchange deal
- Tottenham are unlikely to take up the option to buy on striker Carlos Vinicius
- The €42million is too high a price to pay, according to the north London club
- That could allow Wolves to swoop, who have a long-held interest in the Brazilian
Carlos Vinicius looks unlikely to return to Benfica next season, with a Premier League battle brewing over his signature.
Despite not being afforded the playing time he would have liked at Tottenham, the north London club have not ruled out a bid to turn the move permanent, although they have already informed the Portuguese side that they will not pay the €42m (£36m) stipulated in the loan agreement.
Spurs are not alone in holding an interest, with Wolves also keen on the Brazilian’s signature.
Wolves are prepared to battle Tottenham for the signature of Carlos Vinicius this summer
The Midlands club have already contacted Benfica, trying to find out the nature of the deal between the Portuguese club and Tottenham, and have expressed a willingness to start talks, aiming to sign the striker for next season.
Wolves were the first club to show a genuine interest in signing Vinicius in January 2020. They even put down an offer of €60m (£52m). However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the deal did not progress.
Now, and also due to uncertainty over Raul Jimenez’s head injury, Wolves are already studying the market and Nuno Espirito Santo’s first option is Vinicius. Any deal is still some way off.
Stumbling blocks include the asking price, with Benfica wanting at least €45m (£39m) for the transfer. Wolves do not want to pay any more than €30m (£26m) for the 26-year-old, as Benfica were informed last week.
Wolves could use defender Ruben Vinagre (right) as part of a deal for the Benfica striker
One option that may help the sides meet in the middle is the future of Ruben Vinagre. Currently on loan to Famalicao from the Premier League side, the 22-year-old defender is seen in Lisbon as the successor of Spaniard Grimaldo and Benfica has already made contact to find out the feasibility of deal.
Wolves want €15m (£13m), and Benfica are open to incorporating that fee into a part-exchange deal for Vinicius.
However, Gestifute, Jorge Mendes’ company that represents Vinicius and also frequently works with Wolves, have made Benfica aware of their reservations on completing the deal in this manner.
For both deals to move forward, there will have to be concessions from both clubs.
For the player’s part, Vinicius would prefer to remain at Tottenham, but he knows that if Harry Kane remains at White Hart Lane his playing time is unlikely to improve.
Jorge Mendes has already advised Vinicius that a move to Wolves could prove more beneficial
He is aware Wolves could be a better solution and Mendes has already advised him to choose Molineux.
Even if Vinicius’ deal does not materialize, Vinagre’s deal may still be a reality.
The young player already knows about interest from Benfica – with Sporting also keen – and he would like to continue in Portugal, especially at a club that fights for the title.
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