Italian media claims Tottenham in for Ajax starlet

The January transfer window opens in a few days! While Tottenham Hotspur have not done a whole lot of business in the mid-season window under Mauricio Pochettino, that’s not going to stop the transfer rumors from coming thick and fast throughout the next month.

Here’s one to wet your whistle from the Italian media: according to Italian rumor mongering outlet Calcio Mercato, Spurs are interested in 20-year old Brazilian right winger David Neres, who is currently lighting things up at Ajax this season. Neres, who arrived from in Amsterdam from Sao Paulo last January, currently has 9 goals and 12 assists in all competitions for Ajax this season in just 1500 minutes.

If you’re the kind of person who likes radars, then this from Ted Knutson might pique your interest as well.

Holy smokes! That’s pretty darned good, and the press has already dubbed him “Little Neymar.” It’s apparently put him on the radar of Spurs, AC Milan, and Manchester United. Calcio Mercato claims that they have no interest in selling him in January, suggesting he could go in the summer if there’s enough interest.

Pochettino almost never purchases players in January, since his tactics and fitness regime are such that any new players need time to acclimate to his rigorous tactical demands. Dele Alli was the exception, but Spurs immediately loaned him back to MK Dons for the rest of the season when they bought him. The implication is that any players that come in this January (if any) will be purchased with an eye to NEXT season, though if the right player comes available Poch is ready to listen.

I can’t say I’ve watched Neres play, but the stats are certainly eye-popping and Spurs have had a pretty good record with former Ajax players — Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, Davinson Sanchez, and Christian Eriksen were all former Ajax lads. I don’t think we’ll see a move for Neres in January, but on first glance he does seem like the kind of player profile that Tottenham would be interested in for the future. It’s a dumb source, but file this one away for the summer window.