Tottenham are moving for Club Brugge youngster Antonio Nusa this month over a fear he could be come ‘unaffordable’ in the near future.
That’s according to Het Belang van Limburg, who cover the transfer today and while Tottenham may be moving for him now.
Reports this week have had Tottenham opening talks with Brugge over the highly rated youngster, although it has been made clear in Belgium that they are only opening negotiations at this stage.
Either way, they are interested in the winger, who would likely cost €30m, a figure Chelsea were willing to pay for him in the summer.
That’s a ‘monstrous’ amount according to the newspaper, a ‘insane’ figure for Spurs to pay for a player who only has six goals and four assists in 62 games for the Belgian side to date.
That raises the question of why Tottenham would pay for him but, according to Kim Lagae, sports economist at KU Leuven, it is all a matter of getting ahead of the game.
“Clubs are willing to pay for a player’s potential,” he said.
“Nusa is worth 17 million euros, according to the specialized website Transfermarkt, but scouts estimate that this will increase in the future. That is why clubs take the gamble, just as investors do with growth shares.
“It is risky business: there are no guarantees that there will not be an overvaluation. If the clubs do not strike now for someone like Nusa, they fear that he will become unaffordable in the short term.
“It is inherent to the sport: you have to be quick. What also drives up the price is the high competition. Every club wants to buy Nusa.”
That tallies with reports elsewhere in Belgium today, which insisted that Tottenham aren’t the only side in the mix for Nusa this month.
That again calmed down the situation and made it clear talks with Brugge have only just begun but backed the idea Spurs are keen and thinking about the move.
It would be an expensive one for them but, at least as far as HBVL and Lagae are concerned, one that makes more sense than first seems clear.
