Tottenham Hotspurs have completed the signing of 25-year-old Brazilian striker Carlos Vinicius on a season-long loan deal from Benfica.
The deal contains an option for Spurs to sign him outright for £41 million
($53m) at the end of the season.
Spurs will pay an initial loan fee of €3m, which would be deducted from the
final price if Jose Mourinho decides to make his move permanent.
Vinicius was the joint-top goalscorer in the Primeira Liga in 2019-20, scoring
24 goals in 47 games in all competitions.
Last season was a breakthrough campaign for him, after being signed from Napoli
for €16m (£15m/$19m) following loan spells at Rio Ave and Monaco.
Mourinho will be hoping Vinicius can provide competition and a much-needed
rotation option for Harry Kane. Previous backups such as Fernando Llorente and
Vincent Janssen have generally failed to deliver on a consistent basis.
Kane’s fitness has caused something of a scrap between Mourinho and England
manager Gareth Southgate of late, though he has started the season in good form
with six goals and six assists in seven appearances.
Spurs fans may be hoping Vinicius can follow in the footsteps of Raul Jimenez,
who has shone in the Premier League since joining Wolves from Benfica in 2018.
Serie Agiants Juventusand Interhad been linked with a move for Vinicius in
recent weeks, but Tottenham have acted to make him their sixth signing of the
summer transfer window.
He follows Gareth Bale, Sergio Reguilon, Matt Doherty, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
and Joe Hart to north London as Mourinho reshapes his squad.
Spurs had been hopeful of finding a deal with Juventus to sign defender Merih
Demiral once Vinicius arrived, but it appears Juventus will not allow the
Turkish international to leave.
Inter defender Milan Skriniar is also of interest, though sporting director,
Piero Ausilio, says he is not available either.
Tottenham’s next fixture will be a meaningful one for Mourinho, as he returns
to his former home of Old Trafford on Sunday to face Manchester United in the
final game before the international break.
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