Despite playing a system that relies so heavily on successful wing-backs, Spurs’ right wing-back woes have been well documented since Antonio Conte’s appointment last November.
Emerson Royal has featured heavily under Conte, but flattered to deceive; Djed Spence is still deemed too inexperienced to start regularly, and Matt Doherty is looking to kick on after a decent run of games during the mid-season break, but still looks bereft of confidence.
Spurs have therefore reportedly turned to multiple wing-backs to solve this issue, and 23-year-old Sporting CP right wing-back Pedro Porro has been repeatedly linked with a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since he impressed in the first encounter between the Lilywhites and the Lisbon outfit in this season’s Champions League group stages back in September.
Earlier this month, it was reported in Portugal that Porro’s release clause, which lies at just over £39 million, was putting Spurs off a January move for the Spanish international.
Then, just over a week ago, reports from other Portuguese outlets stated that Fabio Paratici and Spurs were confident of bringing down Porro’s price by foregoing their entitlement to 50% of profits from any sale of Sporting’s Marcus Edwards.
More recently this week, Football.London relayed quotes from Sporting head coach Ruben Amorim, in which he reiterated the company line about any sale of Pedro Porro – that any club interested in the Spanish wing-back would simply have to cough up the release clause, or else, go forth and multiply:
“With regard to Pedro Porro, we know that there are players in our team who, because of what they have done, are now wanted by other clubs,” he said at his pre-match press conference ahead of Sporting’s victory against Pacos Ferreira on Thursday, a match in which Porro’s third-minute goal helped Sporting on their way to a 3-0 victory.
Amorim continued:
“We had this problem in the summer too. What I was told is that he can only leave if the clause is triggered. And if the clause is triggered, there is nothing we can do.
“He is playing really well. Like me, he is living one of the best moments of his career and he is only focused on Sporting. We are prepared for anything and we know that there are clubs who can pay the clause, but, until that happens, I think Pedro is safe.”
This stance seems pretty clear – if they didn’t know already (which is a ridiculous notion), Spurs now know what they must to do to prize the Spaniard away from Lisbon, and it remains to be seen whether such a hefty release clause will see Spurs turn elsewhere for January reinforcements at wing-back or hang fire until the summer.