“Complete shock” – Manchester City ownership group strike an agreement in principle to sign a Tottenham player.
“Complete shock” – Manchester City group agree in principle to sign Tottenham player
Manchester City owners City Football Group (CFG) are reportedly targeting Tottenham Hotspur striker Alejo Véliz as a potential addition to their network of clubs. The claim comes from Argentine journalist César Luis Merlo, writing in his UOL column.
Earlier this month, Brazilian reports linked Flamengo with an interest in the forward. Now, it is Bahia — a club owned by CFG — that are pushing to complete a permanent deal during the winter transfer window.
Tottenham signed Véliz from Rosario Central in August 2022, but the striker found it difficult to settle in North London. He was subsequently sent on loan spells at Sevilla and Espanyol over the following 18 months, where he struggled to make a consistent impact.
The 22-year-old returned to Rosario Central in July and has registered five goals and one assist in 16 appearances this season.
Merlo reports that Bahia have submitted a bid for the Spurs-owned forward, describing the offer as “quite high,” although no exact figure has been disclosed. An agreement in principle is said to be in place with Thomas Frank’s side.
For the move to proceed, Tottenham would need to activate a recall clause to end Véliz’s current loan before approving a transfer to Brazil. According to the report, this step is expected to happen in the coming days, although the player’s stance on the move has not been clarified.
Tottenham expected to finalise deal with Manchester City group
TyC Sports have echoed UOL’s report and added that the potential departure has come as a “complete surprise” at Rosario Central. They claim Spurs are expected to exercise their option to recall the striker during this transfer window.
Véliz trained with the squad on Tuesday, while Rosario Central are scheduled to face Almirante Brown in a friendly today. TyC Sports suggest Wednesday will be decisive in determining whether head coach Jorge Almirón leaves the striker out of the matchday squad, which could signal an imminent transfer.
There is growing belief that Véliz will ultimately join a CFG club and become part of the wider Manchester City ownership group.