Very strange twist in Tottenham transfer chase – Claim club are using ‘technicality’ to ask for more money

Tottenham’s potential move for defender Pedro Porro has become complicated thanks to Sporting Club de Portugal demanding more than his €45m release clause.

That’s according to AS and TuttoMercatoWeb, who say the Portuguese side’s determination to get more from Spurs is holding things up.

TMW reporting that much to Tottenham’s ‘surprise’ new ‘complications’ have arisen in the potential deal for Porro as his current release clause is only valid for the summer.

That’s led Sporting to ask for a ‘higher amount’ to let him go him go, leading to an ‘unexpected braking’ in the negotiations at this moment in time.

AS back this up, stating that the talks between the two clubs are ‘going through intense and delicate hours’.

Tottenham have decided to make a final push for the right-back, who is a specific request from Antonio Conte and has been a target since the summer.

Spurs have ‘gone to the limit’ in the talks with the Portuguese side, who have insisted from the start that they will not sell for anything less than the player’s €45m release clause.

Tottenham had tried to negotiate around that but ultimately caved and offered the €45m needed to activate the player’s release clause and bring him to England.

However, Sporting have picked up on a ‘technicality’ in the contract, arguing that Tottenham cannot take advantage of that clause as is doesn’t activate until the summer.

Therefore, they are now ‘demanding more’ for their man.

That’s led to further negotiations between the two clubs, with Sporting asking for more than €45m to make a deal happen. Spurs are ‘determined’ to get the player and now trying to work out the situation.

Now, to be clear this is not being reported anywhere in Portugal, which is strange given Porro’s potential move is the biggest story in the country at this moment in time.

Every facet of the negotiations has been detailed but this part, so far, has not been picked up on. It is also strange for a release clause to be set for just the summer, with this almost unheard of in Portugal.

With both of those things in mind, we’ll take this news with a pinch of salt but there’s no smoke without fire and with both AS and TMW both reporting it, it may be something to keep an eye on.