Search icon

Football

05th Jun 2019

Tottenham favoured to beat Manchester United to Giovani Lo Celso

Wayne Farry

Money can’t buy you Lo… Celso

Real Betis and Argentina midfielder Giovani Lo Celso has become a hot commodity as we enter the transfer window – with his performances for the LaLiga side alerting some of Europe’s bigger clubs who were sleeping on him during his time at Paris Saint-Germain.

According to Sky Sports, the 23-year-old has two genuine offers from England – in Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United – and that the former Rosario Central player favours the move to this season’s defeated Champions League finalists over a move to the dumpster fire that is Old Trafford currently.

Lo Celso spent last season on loan at the Andalusian club, before they triggered an option to purchase him outright in April this year for a fee believed to be just under £20 million. He played 46 times for Betis in 2018/19 and scored 16 goals in what was without doubt his best season to date.

giovani lo celso

It is understood that Betis, no doubt expecting serious interest in Lo Celso this summer, included a release clause in his contract worth £88 million, and are keen to receive a fee as close to that as possible.

Figures vary but it is estimated that Spurs may have earned close to £100 million in reaching the Champions League final, and it is believed that Mauricio Pochettino has been promised a vastly increased transfer kitty to spend on recruitments this summer.

That kitty still pales in comparison to that of Manchester United, who would be able to offer Lo Celso significantly higher wages than their Premier League rivals.

However, the lure of working with his compatriot Pochettino, as well as playing in the Champions League, are believed to have made Lo Celso’s mind up for him.

The FootballJOE quiz: Were you paying attention? – episode 10