HITC have revealed that Tottenham are set to miss out on Brazilian starlet Marcos Leonardo as the Santos striker has now agreed to join Benfica.
Leonardo has emerged as one of the best young strikers in Brazilian football over the last couple of years, with the centre-forward having found the back of the net 21 times across all competitions this season (Transfermarkt).
Tottenham’s interest in the 20-year-old first came to light last summer when 90 min reported that the Lilywhites are monitoring the youngster.
It was subsequently alleged by Fichajes back in November that Ange Postecoglou’s side were one of several clubs plotting a January move for the player.
Leonardo set for Benfica switch amid Spurs links
HITC have now confirmed that Spurs were indeed one of several Premier League clubs to explore a move for Leandro. The outlets state that West Ham showed the strongest interest, having even held serious talks with Santos over a loan deal with an obligation to buy.
However, it is revealed that both London clubs will now miss out on the 20-year-old after he gave the green light to join Benfica.
The publication alleges that the Portuguese giants are now set to finalise terms with Santos, with the fee expected to be around €18m (£15.5m).
Spurs Web Opinion
A lot of Brazilian youngsters prefer Portugal to be their gateway into European football, given that they speak the language and the similarities in terms of footballing culture.
Leonardo may potentially view Benfica as an ideal stepping stone before making the step up to a top Premier League or La Liga side in two or three years.
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