Spurs Linked With Moves to and Away from Serie A

Two transfer rumors have bubbled up to the surface recently that link Spurs with clubs in Italy’s Serie A.

The first comes to us from Tuttosport. The Turin-based Italian sports journal reports that Napoli are interested in adding Mousa Dembélé to their ranks. The versatile Belgian midfielder was sidelined with injury at Spurs during the match against Everton at the end of August. Prior to that he was becoming one of the more important elements of Mauricio Pochettino’s side, acting as the primary pressing engine from his spot in advanced midfield.

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That early quality he put on display has been contrasted in recent weeks by the man who replaced him in Spurs’ starting XI, Érik Lamela. The Argentine winger performs a much more attack-oriented role than Dembélé, but has proven to be the spark that Spurs offense evidently needed. Though many other factors are at play, there’s no denying the difference in Spurs results over the brief run of both players. In the four games Dembélé started at he beginning of the season, Spurs earned a mere three points. Since reclaiming the right side of attack, Lamela has helped Spurs earn a total of 11 points in five games in all competitions.

So it would seem the time is right for Spurs to hear offers for Dembélé. Though it’s difficult to determine the areas in which the 28-year-old is actually exceptional, the quality of his individual performances early in the season is proof enough that he is good enough in a variety of roles to make him a valuable asset on just about any team. Napoli are currently undergoing a fairly dramatic shift in terms of their tactics and roster, all sparked by new manager Maurizio Sarri. Dembélé, should a deal be reached at Spurs, would likely serve as understudy to Marek Hamšík.

There’s still a lot to be figured between now and the transfer window, however. Spurs are reportedly valuating the player at €14 million and it’s safe to assume from his reputation that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy won’t budge too much on that. While Napoli could meet that price, the bigger issue might be Dembélé’s wages. He’s reportedly earning almost £100,000 a week, a burden that few clubs in Italy – or elsewhere for that matter – would be willing to bear.

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Multiple sources hint at our second rumor, this time linking Spurs with an incoming move from Serie A. First reported on in the summer, Spurs interest in AC Milan playmaker Keisuke Honda might finally increase enough to produce a bid in January, or so the rumor says. The club will reportedly have to compete with Everton to bring in the Japanese international.

This is a more difficult move to suss out. While the prospect of a Dembélé move meets the needs of both parties – Spurs offload a big salary and an aging player while Napoli gain much needed depth – it’s hard to say the same balance would exist in a Honda transfer. Milan brought him in from CSKA Moscow on a free transfer and, well, they’ve been repaid accordingly. It’s not that he’s a bad player exactly. He can pass a ball reasonably well and was good enough to contribute six goals and four assists last season for the Rossoneri. But at 29-years-old, his value both on the pitch and on the transfer market is dwindling.

The ostensible appeal for Spurs or Everton would be his relatively low transfer cost – probably between £5-10 million – and Honda’s high floor/low ceiling ability. Is that enough of a reason to sacrifice a space on a 25 man roster though? At Spurs he would act as backup to Christian Eriksen, and that’s best case scenario. It’s far more likely that a youth-oriented coach like Mauricio Pochettino would prefer to field 22-year-old Alex Pritchard if Eriksen is unavailable before just about anyone else.

This Honda rumor actually bears all the hallmarks of the kind of move the Spurs of two or three seasons ago would attempt. Harry Redknapp would probably have loved the idea of a cheap deal for an aging player who can go out there and run around a bit. Pochettino and Head of Recruitment Paul Mitchell are not looking for the next Louis Saha however. If any player is brought into the club in January, it’s far more likely to more closely resemble the move that brought Dele Alli to club last winter: a young, undervalued player with high upside. This Honda business then is simply the concoction of a media that has not yet caught on to Spurs evolved transfer strategy.

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