Tottenham midfield target could leave Schalke this summer

On the last day of the transfer window, Tottenham Hotspur put a large, somewhat cheeky bid in for 21-year old Schalke midfielder Max Meyer, with reports suggesting it was as large as €45m. It was rejected. Spurs moved on to other targets.

But now, Bild (£) is suggesting that Meyer might be on the verge of leaving Schalke for greener pastures, which are leading some to wonder whether Spurs might re-open their courtship of the German playmaker. Meyer said himself that it’s “50-50” whether he’s going to be with Schalke at the start of next season. The full article is behind a paywall, but here are the quotes, as printed in ESPN:

"There have been no further talks," Meyer, who has completed the full 90 minutes only eight times this season despite making a total of 32 appearances for the club, told Bild.

This summer would be Schalke's last chance to cash in on the forward, but when asked whether he was interested in signing a new deal, he said: "Why not? I can perceive both things. The chances are 50-50."

Source: ESPN FC

Meyer hasn’t had the best of years for Schalke compared to past seasons, but he’s still ridiculously young and has a huge upside. He’s essentially German Christian Eriksen: fast, tricky, and creative. Is he as good as Eriksen? Probably not, but he’s got bags of potential and is already a full German international and is tipped for a huge future. He’s the kind of player that could eventually end up at a club like Bayern if nobody snaps him up first.

This is the kind of story that’s probably going to put Spurs (and a bunch of other clubs) on high alert, but we’re a ways away from being able to say with certainty that Spurs are going to go back in for him, or are even interested. However, he’d be excellent depth for Eriksen and would be given every opportunity to eventually replace him. Sounds like someone Spurs should continue to keep an eye on.