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Sporting President Reveals Details of Tottenham's Bruno Fernandes Bid
September 5, 2019
Sporting president Frederico Varandas has revealed the details of Tottenham Hotspur's bid for star midfielder Bruno Fernandes, saying Spurs were the only club to make a serious offer.
Per Goal, Sporting released a detailed economic statement on their website, which included an explanation of why Fernandes stayed:
"It was 'impossible' to retain Bruno Fernandes, but we did it. We prepared for his sale by putting a fair price on him, and we had bids, but the only serious offer was from Tottenham and that was €45 million (£40 million/$50 million) plus another €20m in bonuses for winning the Premier League and the Champions League. Those are difficult objectives, so we chose not to accept.
"Bruno Fernandes proved to be not only a great player but a great professional and captain. The dignity and responsibility that he has always shown is exemplary.
"The day I turned down Tottenham's proposal, I came to the training ground and spoke to him. I told him why I declined the offer and why he would stay here beyond the end of the market, and he understood perfectly."
Fernandes previously told reporters he had a deal in place with the Premier League side:
He also told A Bola (h/t The Independent's Samuel Lovett) he liked the idea of playing in England.
Per Goal, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus were all linked with the Portugal international, but it would appear only Spurs tried to land him.
The 24-year-old was one of the most talked-about players of the summer transfer window after a phenomenal 2018-19 campaign.
He scored an incredible 20 goals and added 13 assists from the central midfield position, playing a crucial role in Sporting's third-placed finish in the league.
He's off to a great start this season as well:
Tifo Football took a look at the midfielder:
Spurs searched for a creative midfielder in the summer and ended up swinging a deal for Giovani Lo Celso. The Argentinian joined from Real Betis on loan, with an option to make the switch permanent.
Their need for such a player was compounded by the uncertainty surrounding the future of Christian Eriksen:
Lo Celso's arrival in north London means Fernandes is now unlikely to join Spurs in the next transfer window, but given his current form, it wouldn't be a surprise if another club was willing to match Sporting's valuation soon.
The midfielder is a fantastic talent who makes a big impact, and such a player could be a popular target in January.