Why signing Betis’ Levy-approved youngster should worry Spurs
Published:During the January transfer window this season Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham were all linked to 19-year-old Real Betis winger Alvaro Vadillo.
As the transfer festivities of the 2014 summer prepare to begin in earnest though, it is the White Hart Lane club, who are 50/1 to win the Premier League next season, that have stolen a march on their rivals for the Spaniard’s signature.
According to reports, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has approved an £8m bid for the relegated winger, but there are reasons why board members at both Anfield and the Emirates would breathe a huge sigh of relief at the news.
As part of a side that can only finish rock bottom of La Liga with one game to go – they are 7/1 to beat Osasuna in that top-flight swansong – Vadillo’s play, like his teammates’, clearly hasn’t been of a standard good enough to elevate his side.
Perhaps that is a slightly harsh criticism of such a young squad member, but a quick delve into the Puerto Real-native’s numbers reveal the poor season he’s had.
Given more starting opportunities in the Beticos first team than ever before, Vadillo didn’t register a single goal in the league, while providing just two strikes for his teammates from 13 starts.
There are flashes of promise in the Spanish U20 international – a peruse of his YouTube highlight reel shows as much – but as yet there is little end product to go with his pace and trickery on the dribble.
A move to north London is unlikely to yield a hike in his playing time either considering the club have Aaron Lennon, Andros Townsend, Nacer Chadli and Erik Lamela available in the wide areas with Christian Eriksen also regularly deployed along the touchline.
Considering Vadillo couldn’t nail down a starting spot in a struggling side, paying £8m for a player who’s unlikely to boost Spurs’ top-four ambitions seems a stretch.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
Fancy a flutter? Sign up today to claim up to £50 in free bets.
