There is a particular brand of cheek required to raid your local rival's squad, and Tottenham Hotspur appear to be cultivating it with intent. GoalZaz...
There is a particular brand of cheek required to raid your local rival's squad, and Tottenham Hotspur appear to be cultivating it with intent. GoalZaza has learned that the Lilywhites are now contemplating a move for West Ham United's midfield operator, João Palhinha's compatriot, one Emerson Fernandes.This is not a signing born of desperation, but one that speaks to a quiet, calculated ambition simmering at Hotspur Way. The logic is irrefutable on paper. Fernandes has, for the better part of two seasons, been the engine room that keeps David Moyes's machine chugging. He offers that rare blend of relentless ball recovery and a passing range that can flip a low block into a rapid transitional play in a single heartbeat. For a Spurs side that has too often looked brittle in the middle third, he represents a dose of streetwise grit.But let's not pretend this is purely a matter of tactical flexibility. This is about the statement. Approaching West Ham for one of their chief operators is a power play, a declaration that the balance of power in this corner of north London might be shifting. Can you imagine the reaction at the London Stadium if the deal goes through It would be squeaky bum time for the Irons' hierarchy, that's for sure.The real question, though, is whether Ange Postecoglou sees Fernandes as a pure number six or a shuttling eight. The Portuguese has spent much of his time at West Ham shielding a back four, breaking up play and launching attacks from deep. Yet his technical security and his knack for a late arrival into the box suggest he could thrive in a more advanced role, snapping at heels in the final third. That kind of versatility is gold dust in a 50 game season.Of course, the transfer market is a cruel theatre. West Ham will play hardball, demanding a premium fee that reflects his importance and the divisional rivalry. Spurs will be testing the water, perhaps hoping that a combination of Champions League football and a pay rise can turn the player's head. It is a deliciously tense piece of theatre, and one that will rumble on deep into the window. Watch this space closely.
