Spurs won't be able to resolve Rafa Silva ownership issues

TRANSFER TALK

The Evening Standard suggest Tottenham might, which also means Spurs might not, make an offer for Rafa Silva and that he would cost around £10-million (€11.81m -AUS$17.45 -  US$13.19). Various website have simply taken the piece at face value and done no research into the possibility of it happening.

Research reveals that the interest is unlikely to result is a move because of ownership issues. This would not be a simple transfer where you pay tyhe club his termination clause and sign him. There are third party issues I'm afraid. Also Evening Standard figure bears no relation to what Sporting Braga want, and are going to get, for him. He has a contract until 2019 so is at maximum market value, no last year of contract stuff here..

Liverpool, Manchester United, Leicester City, Everton, Southampton PSG have made an inquiry according to the highest selling Portuguese sports newspaper O Jogo. They say Porto are leading the chase for his signature, as you would expect them to. Porto made an offer to Sporting Braga for Rafa Silva in January 2016 of £13.54-million (€16m -AUS$23.63 -  US$17.87) for 80% of his economic rights, which was turned down.

There is plenty of talk in the Portuguese press that Silva is going to Porto this summer, althiugh one iof the main papers is not so sure.

I reported on 7 June 2015 that we had been watching the right-footed left winger or central midfielder all of the previous season, so that is two seasons on the trot we have been watching his progress. We now have a scout our in Spain and Portugal so it will be his role to see him play live.

Russian side Zenit St Petersburg offered £12.69-million (€15m -AUS$22.14 -  US$16.75) for the 23-year-old (26 next May) which Braga immediately turned down. That was reported in another Portuguese newspaper, A Bola, on 30 July. O Jogo report that Silva turned down Zenit as well.

They say that Silva has a termination clause of $16.92-million (€20m -AUS$29.53 -  US$22.35) and that the Braga president, Antonio Salvador, wants the full amount. You would think that as he was a member of the Portuguese side that won the European Championships this summer his stock would have risen so it is doubtful he would accept aything less.

There is no mention of any interest from Tottenham in the Portuguese press, although they were reporting throughout last season that we had scouts watching him. His agent has also revealed that he wants to play in the Premier League.

I should point of that Braga do not own all the economic rights of the player, which makes a transfer to the Premietr League difficult. Such arrangements are not permitted in British football. Silva's economic rights are shared by businessman Jorge Mendes, Sporting Braga, Gestifute ( Portuguese company who provide agent services to footballers) and Feirense. Braga tried to buy 40% of his rights from Gestifute prior to thr European Championships but the company rfused expecting Silva's avlue to rise during th Champuinships.

You can thius see that although there is interest from the Premier League his ownership complicates matters and if Gestifute want to cash in they will retain part ownership until he makes the next move for Porto to a major club for even more.

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