Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly expected to return with an improved offer for Domingos Duarte after their initial bid was rejected by Granada.
According to a report from Spanish publication AS, Tottenham Hotspur have seen their opening bid for Granada defender Domingos Duarte turned down. The Lilywhites, however, are likely to return with another offer to secure the services of the Portuguese international.
Duarte has been with Granada since 2019, having arrived from Portuguese outfit Sporting CP. While he never really got a chance to nail down a starting berth at his boyhood club and was farmed out on loan regularly, at Granada, the 26-year-old has become a regular fixture in the side and one of the most reliable centre-backs in the whole of La Liga.
Duarte, so far, has featured over 80 times for the Nazaries, bagging four goals and an assist in the process. The 26-year-old even broke into the Portugal national team last year and has gone on to feature twice for Fernando Santos’ side. And his progress over the past couple of seasons hasn’t gone unnoticed, with Tottenham taking an interest in his services.
Tottenham have already bolstered their defence with the signing of Cristian Romero from Atalanta BC. But, having lost Toby Alderweireld and Juan Foyth this summer, coupled with the inconsistencies that Davinson Sanchez and Eric Dier have become known for, adding another centre-half would not be the worst idea for the Lilywhites.
A move for Kurt Zouma had been mooted, but the Frenchman is on his way to West Ham United. Nikola Milenkovic was another defender on the north London club’s radar, but he ended up signing a new contract with Serie A side Fiorentina, forcing Tottenham to turn their focus towards Duarte.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Spurs were readying an opening offer for the 26-year-old. And, as per the aforementioned report, the north Londoners did make a bid worth €8 million, only to see it get knocked right back by Granada. Duarte, whose contract with the La Liga outfit runs till 2023, has a release clause worth €30 million. So, it was always unlikely that such a low offer would have been expected.
The report mentions that Granada would be looking at a figure of around €18 million, similar to what Brighton & Hove Albion are shelling out to sign Marc Cucurella from Getafe. And, it is claimed that Tottenham are expected to return with a better offer for Duarte, although it is unclear whether they will be matching the figure that has been mentioned.
As things stand, though, Nuno Espirito Santo’s men have suffered a slight setback in pursuit of Duarte, with their bid getting knocked back. Whether the improved offer does the trick for Tottenham now remains to be seen.
