Tottenham have finally parted ways with Alejo Véliz, and new details from Brazil suggest the transfer was far from straightforward behind the scenes.
For months, the expectation around the deal was that it made perfect sense for everyone involved.
Bahia, operating as Manchester City’s satellite club in Brazil within the City Football Group structure, wanted a young striker with resale value.
Tottenham had a player who never quite established himself in north London. The reality, however, proved much more complicated.
Tottenham wanted to wait
According to Globo Esporte, one of the biggest obstacles was Tottenham themselves.
The report claims Spurs had no intention of selling Véliz during the January window. Instead, their preference was to wait for the European summer market, when demand is usually higher and clubs believe they can extract better value.
That is particularly interesting given how the situation eventually unfolded. Tottenham accepted €9m (£7.6m), despite reports earlier in the saga mentioning figures between €10m and €20m depending on the structure of the deal.
Bahia feared that waiting would only make the operation more expensive. There was also concern that more European clubs could enter the race and complicate matters further. As a result, City Football Group pushed ahead rather than delaying negotiations.
City Group made Véliz a priority
The report also offers a glimpse into how highly Bahia and CFG rated the striker.
Football director Cadu Santoro personally presented the project to Véliz. Meanwhile, a member of the scouting department travelled to Argentina to meet the player and his representatives face to face.
Bahia saw the 22-year-old as more than a short-term signing. Internally, the club viewed him as a strategic fit for the wider City Football Group model and a player who could become part of a medium and long-term project.
Rosario Central resistance almost changed everything
Tottenham were not the only hurdle. Bahia also tried to negotiate an early release from Rosario Central and even discussed compensation. The Argentine side refused to budge, determined to keep the striker for their Libertadores campaign.
Véliz himself could have made life more difficult. Instead, he took the opposite approach.
The striker wanted the move and liked the project presented by Bahia – he’s happy now. However, he also made it clear that he would not force an exit from the club where he came through the academy and made his name.
That decision ultimately shaped the outcome. Rosario kept him until the end of the loan, Tottenham got their permanent sale, and Bahia secured the player they had identified as a priority target months earlier.
Looking back at the saga, the most surprising detail may be that the transfer happened at all. Tottenham wanted to wait, Rosario wanted to keep him, and Véliz refused to create a conflict.
Yet CFG kept pushing and eventually got their man.
