Rafael Leao rejects club’s contract offer, after claims Antonio Conte wants him at Tottenham

[mawspurs]

World Cup star Rafael Leao has now rejected AC Milan’s first contract offer, after claims Antonio Conte wants him at Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs boast a range of brilliant attacking options, with the likes of Dejan Kulusevski, Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son and Richarlison in the squad. Despite this, Conte was left short before the World Cup after Kane was the only player out of the four to not pick up an injury.

Source: The Boot Room

 

[Neon_Knight_]

I imagine there would be a few big clubs in for him. Plays LW (not RW), so I can't see how this would be a priority signing atm.

 

[PrettyColors]

It would be cruel but if we could sell Son and bring in Leao that wouldn't be awful business.

Yeah yeah Son is a legend and world class and all but think about it. The guy is about to be 30 and he'll never be more valuable - this could be the last chance to get a big fee for him.

We probably wouldn't do it, nor should we, but it would be smart to do so imo.

 

[Twizzle]

Only way this happens is if we sell Son, who seems to be on the decline.
Otherwise, there is no way we could afford him and we don't need 2 on the left anyway, unless Son switches sides. Son is two footed whereas Leao is a leftie.
This guy is a serious footballer.

 

[DiamondLites]

Future planning for Son’s departure in (hopefully) a couple of years. But imagine there will be a queue of suitors for him so I wouldn’t get my hopes up

 

[beuller]

It would be cruel but if we could sell Son and bring in Leao that wouldn't be awful business.

Yeah yeah Son is a legend and world class and all but think about it. The guy is about to be 30 and he'll never be more valuable - this could be the last chance to get a big fee for him.

We probably wouldn't do it, nor should we, but it would be smart to do so imo.

It was the classic strategy on championship manager.

 

[TPdYID]

It was the classic strategy on championship manager.

It’s not just championship manager, It’s called “succession planning”.

Imagine if we actually had a strategy in place when it came to planning for Alderweireld & Vertonghens inevitable departures? Or (going back a few years) replacing Berbatov like-for-like instead of with Frazier Campbell, ohhh the nightmares remain!

 

[coy-spurs1882]

It’s not just championship manager, It’s called “succession planning”.

Imagine if we actually had a strategy in place when it came to planning for Alderweireld & Vertonghens inevitable departures? Or (going back a few years) replacing Berbatov like-for-like instead of with Frazier Campbell, ohhh the nightmares remain!

we had the plan but our poor scouting resulted in the failure (Wimmer, Sanchez, Foyth)

 

[GutBucket]

Son isn't getting younger and Kane still hasn't signed a new contract, we need to be ready and plan for future.

 

[Wig]

Son isn't getting younger and Kane still hasn't signed a new contract, we need to be ready and plan for future.

Kulusevski and Richarlison in the last two windows are a good start.

 

[Norgie]

Only way this happens is if we sell Son, who seems to be on the decline.
Otherwise, there is no way we could afford him and we don't need 2 on the left anyway, unless Son switches sides. Son is two footed whereas Leao is a leftie.
This guy is a serious footballer.

I'm not sure I agree with in decline, yes he has had a dip in form but can you not remember the end of last season? Form is temporary, class in permanent.

 

[-Afri-Coy-]

I’m a closet AC fan and I can tell you lads this guy is the business. Perfect replacement for Sonny, but fitting both into the team wouldn’t be impossible either. Leao can play through the middle too. We need rotation AND future proofing, he ticks both boxes.

I’m sure he’ll have a ton of other suitors though.

 

[Trix]

I'm not sure I agree with in decline, yes he has had a dip in form but can you not remember the end of last season? Form is temporary, class in permanent.

Class is not permanent at all. Not as far as ability is concerned anyway.

 

[TPdYID]

we had the plan but our poor scouting resulted in the failure (Wimmer, Sanchez, Foyth)

If the "plan" was to replace an outgoing defender, with an incoming defender, i'd say that was fairly straightforward and obvious. Not sure much of a plan would've been required.

My view of the plan would have been making sure due-diligence was done on the scouting/recruitment front - which clearly it wasn't. How much did we look into the technical/tactical, psychological, physical and sociall aspect for each player?

I mean...It didn't take a "talent-spotter" to tell me, Wimmer was no good, any one with two eyes could see he was atrocious and would never be the required standard.

Rinse and repeat for N'jie, Stambouli, N'Koudou, etc.

 

[Locotoro]

It’s not just championship manager, It’s called “succession planning”.

Imagine if we actually had a strategy in place when it came to planning for Alderweireld & Vertonghens inevitable departures? Or (going back a few years) replacing Berbatov like-for-like instead of with Frazier Campbell, ohhh the nightmares remain!

The smart clubs buy the successor long before his predecessor needs to be replaced.
Selling Son and buying Leao would not be clever business. Buying Leao and selling Son next year or the season after would be smarter.

 

[Johnny J]

Class is not permanent at all. Not as far as ability is concerned anyway.

Plus a huge part of Son's game is his pace. Pace and finishing. I'm not saying we should necessarily sell him now, but realistically how many seasons of peak Son are we getting? Two?

Kane will play longer at the top level because of his playmaking skillset. Son doesn't have that.

Sooner or later he'll be on the decline - if not already - and we should be succession-planning now. If the opportunity comes up to get in a top young left forward, we should take it.

 

[Twizzle]

I'm not sure I agree with in decline, yes he has had a dip in form but can you not remember the end of last season? Form is temporary, class in permanent.

my point exactly, is that was the end of last season, as a striker, he has to score goals which he aint doing much of at this stage for Spurs and if we are going to sell now is probably the best time instead of running him into the ground and watching his value decline

otherwise, we won't be able to afford Leao