Since Jose Mourinho has taken over at Tottenham, the north London club have been linked with a whole host of players – not least Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Spurs are also said to be interested in Benfica defender Ruben Dias.
The Independent claim that Mourinho wants to bring the Portugal international to Tottenham – even if he has a huge £59million release clause. The defender, 22, has developed a reputation as one of the best young defenders in European football.
Dias already has 102 appearances to his name for Benfica, while clocking up 16 caps for Portugal. At national team level, he is the long-awaited answer to replacing veteran centre-backs Jose Fonte, Pepe and Bruno Alves.
The lure of Mourinho at Tottenham is likely to prove tempting for Dias – not least because of the connection in terms of nationality. But could signing Dias mean Spurs are finally willing to wave goodbye to two players?
The Mirror claim Spurs are looking to persuade Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld and Christian Eriksen to sign new deals, with their current deals set to expire at the end of the season. The trio have been blamed for Spurs’ dismal form this season.
Vertonghen and Alderweireld have been the backbone to Spurs’ success under Mauricio Pochettino. But both players have now entered their thirties, and have lost a yard of pace. Indeed, they do not seem as though they want to be at Spurs anymore.
Despite reports suggesting that Spurs are looking to extend their deals following the appointment of Mourinho, surely the reported interest in Dias is a sign that chairman Daniel Levy and Mourinho are planning for life without the Belgian duo.
