Spurs have also been frustrated in a fresh attempt to sign Joao Moutinho with Porto refusing to budge on their €30m (£24m) valuation on the midfielder who is so highly-rated by head coach Andre Villas-Boas.
The Portuguese is understood to regard his countryman as the ideal replacement for Luka Modric – not in style but in influence on the team and also to be a talisman for the new manager – who was finally sold to Real Madrid for a fee that could rise (with add-ons) to £33m earlier this week.
As part of that deal, Spurs signed a commercial tie up with Real which will include young players being loaned between the club and also the prospect of exhibition matches being played. The sale of Modric has also unlocked transfer funds for Spurs who are set to be the Premier League’s busiest club before the transfer window closes on Friday night.
Although Spurs gave up on trying to sign Moutinho – in public at least – Villas-Boas has remained hopeful that a deal could still be struck for the midfielder who was so vital to him when he was Porto coach and who he also tried to take to Chelsea.
The signing of Dembélé will end a year-long pursuit by Spurs for the player who has made a significant impact on the Premier League since he was signed by the then manager Mark Hughes by Fulham in 2010 for just £3.2m from AZ Alkmaar and who has also attracted strong interest from Manchester United.
Spurs’ failed with a bid of £10m for Dembélé last year. Dembélé is believed to have a £15m release clause in his contract and Spurs have now activated that. Spurs remain desperate to offload fringe players such as David Bentley and Jermaine Jenas but must concentrate on strengthening the squad after Modric’s sale.
Shakhtar announced on Monday that they had rejected a bid of £11.8m for Willian, the Brazilian international, but talks are ongoing between the clubs. Although the Ukrainians insist they want £20m for the player, Spurs believe that an offer of around £15m would be successful although they are yet to submit an improved bid.
It had been hoped that a deal to sign Willian would be agreed yesterday but talks have stalled with, for now, Spurs concentrating on acquiring Dembélé who, it is hoped, will be available for Saturday’s Premier League match at home to Norwich City.
Nevertheless Willian, who was withdrawn from the squad for Shakhtar’s league match against Karpaty on Sunday, is still hopeful that he can force through a move. Villas-Boas also bid for the player last January when he was still the manager of Chelsea and is keen to bring him to England now.
Villas-Boas is desperate to bolster his squad as he mounts a challenge to bring Champions League football back to White Hart Lane.
Spurs have also been frustrated in their attempts to sign another Brazilian, striker Leandro Damiao, with his club, Internacional, insisting they want the 23-year-old international to stay for now after their valuation wasn’t met. A bid for the French midfielder Yann M’Vila was rejected by Rennes earlier this month and is unlikely to be revived.
Spurs have agreed a fee for goalkeeper Hugo Lloris but only after his club, Lyon, reduced their demands for the France captain because they want him to leave. Lyon will now accept £12m for Lloris and although personal terms are yet to be agreed, the deal is expected to go ahead.
Lloris’s arrival will prompt Spurs to seek a buyer for Heurelho Gomes who has failed to convince Villas-Boas that he can challenge Brad Friedel as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper. Spurs have, alternatively, been considering a bid for Birmingham City’s young goalkeeper Jack Butland who recently made his debut for England and is available for around £8m.
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