Tottenham Transfer Talk: Draxler, N'dombélé, Bergwjin


Tottenham Transfer Talk: Draxler, N'dombélé, Bergwjin

Julien-Draxler

France Football report that Tottenham Hotspur have identified 25-year-old (26 in December) Julian Draxler as an ideal replacement for Christian Eriksen, who could well leave this summer for Real Madrid or Juventus with just a year left on his contract.

It is thought PSG are willing to sell the German international (has 49 full caps scoring 6 goals) attacking midfielder to raise money for purchases of their own. He is only under contract until 2021 and played over 2,000 minutes in Ligue 1 this season.

A report in the Daily Mail suggests Tottenham have dropped interest in Barcelona midfielder André Gomes. I can't say as I'm disappointed because I don't think he showed very good defensive qualities when we played Everton, or indeed in any of their other games.

Even attacking players have to defend, Eriksen has had to learn, he was very poor defensively when he joined us and at 25 (26 in July) Gomes ought to know how to defend better than he does.


I revealed three days ago that French newspaper L'Equipe reported Lyon had engaged super agent Pini Zahavi to sell midfielder Tangay N'dombélé and to get between £61.8 million (€70m) and £88.21 million (€100m) for him.

L'Equipe and N'dombélé 

I felt that seems a little over the top and would surely have to include a chunk of add-ons to protect against any potential failure in a new country and a new league.

An opening bid in a transfer negotiation is simply to lower expectation, lower the bar of the selling club and instill a feeling of the player isn't worth what they thought he is worth and conversely, a selling club does the opposite.

In some cases, clubs will find a mutually agreeable figure and in many, they won't. Other potential targets mean a club can try and get a player for a fee they are happy with and if not walk away, leaving the offer on the table to look elsewhere.

Take Kieran Trippier for instance. Napoli have offered 18 million, we have placed a figure of 35 million on our right back. If a figure can't be agreed then Napoli will walk away citing any number of reasons, but failure to agree a price will be the real one.

Let's move back to N'dombélé. Tottenham have made an opening offer of £30.9 million (€35m) which has been rejected. The clubs will now try to look for a figure somewhere between the two. CIES Football Observatory, who are accurate with their transfer figure had him, if I remember rightly, at £59.18 million (€67m).

Tottenham have told the agent of PSV Eindhoven winger Steven Bergwjin that they are prepared to meet his £22.08 million (€25m) buyout clause, report Dutch paper De Telegraaf.

Inter Milan have obviously been linked, they are linked with every player available and Sky Sports suggest the Dutch club want £35.47 million (€40m) for Begwjin.

However, his release clause is lower so a club do not have to offer more and the club cannot refuse a release clause £22.08 million (€25m) offer.