Joao Moutinho was supposed to have become a member of Tottenham Hotspur weeks ago. It was then supposed to happen on Friday afternoon and again on Friday evening. It kept sounding like a done deal, especially on Friday, and according to a report out of Portugal, it was. The teams had agreed and the player had agreed with Spurs. So why isn't Muoutinho a Spurs? Paperwork.
DN: FC Porto, Tottenham and Moutinho agreed the transfer, but a document sent by Porto had irregularities and there was not time to fix it.
— João Ruela (@joao_ruela) September 2, 2012
This would explain the reports out of the English media just after the close of the window that the Moutinho to Spurs deal could still be on and then it just falling apart without any explanation when it seemed like it was agreed upon.
For Andre Villas-Boas part, he called Porto a "difficult club to deal with". He would know seeing as he was their manager.
Exactly what could the "irregularities" have been? I haven't the slightest clue, but knowing the amount of money involved in a transfer, details on when it is played, the work permits, contracts and everything else involved, not to mention the unnecessary extra paperwork that is surely involved because it always is, that paperwork can be a problem is no surprise.
So Spurs were apparently* thiiiiiis close to nabbing Moutinho. That makes missing out on him hurt that much more, but maybe that means the deal can be agreed upon in January? Food for thought, because the transfer deadline didn't give us enough of that.
* Again, we're using apparently because it's just one report that we do not know is true so take it as you will.
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