Tottenham Hotspur have held talks with the representatives of an “outrageous” forward compared to Argentina icon Lionel Messi, according to reports, coming amid their triumph in the Europa League.
Tottenham end 17-year wait for silverware after Europa League win over Man Utd
Brennan Johnson etched his name into Spurs folklore on Wednesday night, scoring the only goal of a tense encounter, with Ange Postecoglou’s side ending the club’s 17-year wait for major silverware after beating Man Utd 1-0.
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As Tottenham’s squad hoisted the trophy aloft, Postecoglou was also reminded of the promise he made earlier this campaign – namely that he ‘always’ wins silverware during his second season in charge.
Guglielmo Vicario
7.7
Yves Bissouma
7.6
Cristian Romero
7.4
Bruno Fernandes
7.4
Destiny Udogie
7.2
via WhoScored
It was a statement which could’ve come back to bite him, but the 59-year-old’s message has now been vindicated by Spurs’ glorious night in Spain. Postecoglou became the first Australian manager to win a major European trophy, doing his country proud in the process, all while changing an ever-present narrative around the Lilywhites that they’re a ‘nearly’ team.
“It wasn’t me boasting, it was a declaration,” said Postecoglou on his ‘second season’ quote after Tottenham’s win over United.
“If we fell short, I was ready to cop it.”
Guglielmo Vicario’s heroics in goal – combined with Cristian Romero’s outstanding defensive display, Micky van de Ven’s acrobatic clearance off the line and the performances of their wing-backs – helped to shut a dominant Man United side out and end Tottenham’s long wait for a parade.
Spurs also sealed a monumental boost by qualifying for next season’s Champions League, and all the riches that come with it in terms of both revenue and player-pull.
This will undoubtedly have a positive effect on their summer recruitment strategy. Whether or not Tottenham’s trophy-winning boss will be at the helm to benefit from it next term remains to be seen, following previous reports Postecoglou could leave regardless of their Europa League campaign.
However, whether it be for Postecoglou or any potential new manager, Lyon star Rayan Cherki is attracting Daniel Levy’s interest.
Tottenham hold talks with Rayan Cherki after Lionel Messi comparison
According to GiveMeSport, Tottenham have declared their interest in Cherki after holding talks with his representatives.
Levy and co are apparently attempting to discover more about the terms he’d want to join them, and there are reports that the exciting French winger has a very tempting £19 million release clause in his contract.
This could make the “outrageous” forward one of the bargains of this summer window, especially after a phenomenal 24/25 haul of 12 goals and 20 assists in all competitions.
GMS also stated that the boldness of Tottenham’s offer to Cherki would be directly linked to their Europa League triumph, so now that they’re confirmed champions, Levy could make a more tempting proposal.
Their status as a Champions League side for next season now also makes Spurs a far more attractive proposition to players like the 21-year-old, so this could be one to watch in the coming weeks, with Cherki also being likened to Messi by former Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas.