Tottenham take huge risk by snubbing move for £50m-rated star after months of work on transfer | OneFootball

Tottenham chose not to buckle on Monaco’s valuation of Maghnes Akliouche and could look to strike a better deal for him in the summer, but may ultimately regret that decision.

A potential move for the 23-year-old had been weeks, if not months, in the making, with Spurs conducting extensive scouting missions and exploring both personal terms and the financial framework required to strike an agreement with Monaco.

As reported, it is understood the deal would have cost over £50million, with Akliouche prepared to accept terms that fit within Tottenham’s existing wage structure.

However, Spurs have opted to hold back for now and are instead expected to revisit the transfer in the summer window, when he will enter the final two years of his current contract.

Tottenham had closely monitored Akliouche’s situation last summer and again this season, with Monaco surprised by the lack of pressure from the north London club to force the issue.

There had been expectations that Spurs would make a bold statement in the latest transfer window, but that failed to materialise.

Spurs brought in midfielder Conor Gallagher and left-back Souza for around £50million combined, but they also wanted to add a fresh spark to their attack, and settled on Akliouche as a top target.

Tottenham take risk by delaying much-needed transfer

The decision to delay a move for Akliouche could prove risky, with Tottenham now facing the prospect of rival clubs stepping up their interest in him ahead of the summer.

The five-time capped French international has notched four goals and five assists in 28 appearances for Monaco this season, and is only expected to improve.

Akliouche can play as a right-winger or attacking midfielder, so could provide depth in two key positions for Tottenham.

However, for now, Thomas Frank will have to make do with the options he has as the manager looks to bounce back from a dismal first half of the season.

Spurs currently sit 14th in the Premier League table – far below the expectations of the club’s hierarchy and supporters.

Their 2-2 draw with Manchester City on Sunday, having come back from 2-0 down, does offer some hope that Frank can turn things around.

Frank remains the favourite to be the next Premier League manager sacked, however, so a change in that department can’t be ruled out.

But the club’s admiration for Akliouche is unlikely to go away even if there is a managerial change before the summer.

Latest Tottenham news: ‘Discreet enquiry’ for ex-Chelsea star / Romero FUMES

Meanwhile, my colleague, Graeme Bailey, has revealed that Tottenham launched a ‘discreet enquiry’ for former Chelsea winger Angelo Gabriel in the final days of the window.

However, while Thomas Frank’s Tottenham gathered information on his availability and potential cost, no bid was ever submitted for Angelo, and the discussions did not advance.

In other news, Spurs centre-back Cristian Romero appeared to launch an attack at the club’s hierarchy, suggesting that there failure to sign more players this winter is ‘”disgraceful”, following their draw with Man City.

“I wanted to be available to help them even though I wasn’t feeling well, especially since we only had 11 players available — unbelievable but true and disgraceful,” Romero posted on Instagram.