and is now set to land at White Hart Lane as the north
London club look to strengthen up front by capturing the
Brazil forward
EXCLUSIVE
By Greg Stobart
Tottenham have reopened talks to sign Brazil
striker Leandro Damiao as they prepare to announce the
appointment of Franco Baldini as the club's new technical
director.
Former England assistant Baldini will oversee Spurs'
transfer policy and scouting network after leaving his role
as general manager of Roma on Wednesday.
The Italian's appointment, as Goal reported in May, will
see Tottenham return to a continental management
structure. The 52-year-old is understood to have a good
relationship with Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas, who
he tried to appoint as Roma manager last year.
Baldini's contacts within the game and networking skills
were a key factor in the Londoners' decision - and he will
get straight down to work as the club target a top four
finish next season.
Among his first tasks will be to take on the club's renewed
push to sign Internacional's £15 million-rated striker
Damiao , a long-term target who Spurs have
unsuccessfully tried to sign for the last two-and-a-half
years.
The 23-year-old, who scored 24 goals last season, will
almost certainly leave Internacional this summer and is
open to a switch to White Hart Lane despite his desire to
play Champions League football. Villas-Boas remains a big
fan, having urged the club to sign the player in the
January transfer window.
Tottenham have a partnership
agreement with Internacional,
from whom they signed Sandro
for £8m in 2010, but have
previously struggled to reach
an agreement to complete a
move for Damiao.
Marseille and Napoli have also
been linked with Damiao but
Spurs are confident of finally
landing their man this summer
as part of a summer overhaul
of their strikeforce.
Damiao's agent, Vinicius
Prates, left the door open for
his client to move to White
Hart Lane this week. "If it was just a matter of money, he
would have left a long time ago," he told Zero Hora.
"Leandro Damiao's dream is to play the World Cup.
"If he leaves, it will be to a big club, he is under contract
until 2016 and the club gives him every condition for him
to achieve that dream.
"Our idea is to always work with big clubs, all players
dream of playing in the Champions League. But
Tottenham are an important club in London, we can't rule
them out."
Villas-Boas wants to sign two forwards this summer, with
Damiao and Barcelona star David Villa the top targets and
the likes of Roberto Soldado and Pierre-Emerick
Aubameyang considered alternatives.
Goal revealed last month that Spurs had made their move
for £10m-rated Villa , who is keen on a move to the
Premier League but is unlikely to make a final decision on
his future until after the Confederations Cup.
The Spain international would command a salary worth
around £110,000-a-week but Spurs hope to offset that
cost by selling Emmanuel Adebayor this summer, while
they are also open to offers for Jermain Defoe.
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