Calling True or False on 5 Recent Tottenham Hotspur Transfer Rumours
Tottenham Hotspur's summer 2015 transfer window looks set to be among the more fascinating of recent years.
The commencement of Mauricio Pochettino's second season as head coach will inform us of his preferences regarding the squad he got to know in his first year. The early influence of Paul Mitchell, the club's new head of recruitment and analysis, on changes of player personnel will also become apparent.
As we prepare to find out how Tottenham's finish to the current campaign impacts all this too (chiefly, whether or not they will be in Europe), it is a good time to look at the probability of the early transfer rumours around the club coming to fruition.
While there is often a grain of truth in transfer speculation, it does not necessarily mean they will amount to something. With that in mind, we now look at five recent linkages with Spurs and judge whether they are more likely to be true or false.
Kevin Wimmer
1 of 4
The frequency with which Cologne defender Kevin Wimmer has been linked with Tottenham appears to place this rumour in the no-smoke-without-fire category.
The Guardian's David Hytner reported in March that a £4.3 million deal had been agreed for the 22-year-old. In an interview with Laola1 in his native Austria, per Mail Online's Simon Jones, the player himself later stated negotiations were indeed taking place.
On Tuesday Goal.com's Greg Stobart cited an interview Wimmer gave to German radio station 1Live in which he confirmed "interest" from Spurs but suggested any deal would not be agreed until the season is complete.
The likely impending departure of the out-of-favour Younes Kaboul will mean Spurs have need for a new centre-back. The mix-and-match of others like Eric Dier, Vlad Chiriches and Federico Fazio at various points this season indicates Pochettino is not fully convinced by some of his other options either.
Only seeing him in action in the Premier League will confirm whether the physical Wimmer is the man to bring some stability to Spurs' defence. However, it looks like he will get the opportunity to try and prove his worth.
Verdict: True
Simone Zaza
2 of 4
Like Wimmer, Simone Zaza's name has popped up as a potential Tottenham target more than once this spring. Unlike Wimmer, the disagreement between various reports on the likelihood of a move makes this rumour hard to trust.
John Cross of the Mirror stated in March that the Sassuolo striker's agent was "due to fly to London to try and negotiate a summer move but Juventus have first option on him having sold him to Sassuolo two years ago." The same newspaper's Liam Corless wrote later that month of Zaza's intentions to turn down Spurs in favour of a switch to Juve.
The London Evening Standard's Tom Collomosse then reported the north London club were not interested in the 23-year-old. Yet Metro's Simon Osborn has since brought up the link again via its mentioning in La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Spurs are in need of reinforcements in attack for current in-form striker Harry Kane. His main back-up, Roberto Soldado, might remain, but his disappointing campaign has shown he cannot be relied upon as the team's sole cover in the position.
Zaza is a fine finisher, but he has not yet emerged as a prolific scorer. While, that is not an easy evolution playing in a mid-table Serie A team, such a development is less likely to occur in the probable understudy role he would at least initially take at Tottenham—especially in a new league and new country.
Spurs' current style and Kane's prominence make it so any high-profile moves in the attacking department are likely to be for forwards with the versatility to play in a wider stationed role.
Zaza looks like a no-go.
Verdict: False
Aaron Lennon and Kevin Mirallas
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Speaking to the Liverpool Echo's Chris Beesley, Everton boss Roberto Martinez was not prepared to confirm a permanent deal for loanee Aaron Lennon would be completed this summer.
"With all honesty we are not going to think about that situation until the season is over."
Revitalised on Merseyside, the likelihood of the winger returning to Tottenham is remote. Pochettino's willingness to let him leave in the first place underlined his preference for others in his squad.
After almost a decade spent in north London, a fresh start is likely to do Lennon good, given he was beginning to stagnate even before the current Spurs boss' arrival. He could remain at Everton or end up elsewhere if someone makes a proposal satisfactory to his current employers.
The Toffees' attack-focused brand of football undoubtedly suits Lennon, though. The Sunday People's Steve Bates believes Spurs would be willing to let him move there as part of a cash-plus-player deal for Belgium international Kevin Mirallas (a transfer which has been previously touted several times elsewhere too).
It could be argued Spurs would be getting the worst of that deal, exchanging a proven (if not always startlingly effective) Premier League performer for a talented but erratic player in Mirallas. He is only a few months younger than the 28-year-old Lennon too.
The different twists Lennon and Mirallas would provide Everton and Tottenham's attacks, respectively, make it understandable why both might pursue this one ahead of the new campaign. Nonetheless, with Mirallas expressing his happiness at Everton, via their official website, only Lennon heading there permanently seems worth backing for now.
Verdict: Half True/Half False
Emmanuel Adebayor
4 of 4
The reporting on Emmanuel Adebayor teaming up with his former Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood at Aston Villa is slight for now. But it will not be a surprise if more stories linking the two, like The Sun's, emerge.
Barring a dramatic change-around, Adebayor's days at Spurs are numbered. He has barely featured since the turn of the year and has been relegated from his starting place as a result of his inconsistent form in the season's opening months.
Sherwood helped revitalise the striker following his previous spell on the sidelines. The coach has been doing similar work bringing the best out of Villa's own previously demoralised striker Christian Benteke. It stands to reason that another crack at working with the mercurial Adebayor might appeal too.
However, while not ruling out a reunion if things change, the Togo international making his way to Villa might just prove too complicated.
Last week, the Daily Mail's Neil Ashton outlined the difficulty Spurs could have convincing Adebayor to give up his current hefty wages. Even if he is open to interest from Villa, working out an affordable deal for the 31-year-old might ultimately dissuade them.
Unless they can work out a bargain deal which minimises the risk of signing the talented but unreliable Spurs man, Sherwood is likely to find better attacking options to spend the club's already limited funds on.
Verdict: False
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