Tottenham’s pursuit of Marcel Sabitzer is heating up

It’s easy to tell when a transfer window is rapidly approaching. The rumors start flying and it’s up to us to figure out which ones are garbage and which we should follow.

RB Leipzig midfielder Marcel Sabitzer is a player who is going to be at a new club this summer. The group in charge of the Bundesliga club seem resigned to the fact that the 27-year-old is on his way out the door. His contract expires in 2022 meaning Leipzig have little power to keep the player without an extension. According to Bild (via Sport Witness), Leipzig are done trying to re-sign the Austrian international and are looking to cash in.

Earlier this month, the midfielder was cryptic when directly quizzed whether or not he will sign for the north London club in the summer.

The Austria international’s contract expires in 2022 and Bild claims that within Leipzig, they are aware the player won’t renew. He ‘wants to change’ clubs in the next window.

Sabitzer has no release clause and Julian Nagelsmann’s side are looking for a fee in the range of his current market value (€42m).

Nagelsmann, as we all know, is linked to Tottenham Hotspur if Jose Mourinho gets sacked this summer. That saga’s final chapter has yet to be written and will depend on the final six weeks of the season. For now, we’ll assume that nothing will change and that Nagelsmann stays in Germany.

Leipzig wanting €42m for a player with one year remaining on his contract and no release clause isn’t crazy, but it’s hard to see how they get that much. Yes, Sabitzer is a quality player in his prime that instantly improves almost any club’s lineup, but if Leipzig wanted that much for him they should have sold him last summer. Leipzig are almost certainly hoping for a bidding war to get near that price but if Sabitzer comes out and says he wants to leave, that price can bottom out in a hurry.

Sabitzer has been as steady as any player in Germany this season after missing the first four matches with a torn ligament. Since then, he’s gone the full 90 minutes 18 times, including their final six Champions League matches. He’s scored seven goals and chipped in six assists in almost 2,300 minutes. Spurs need depth in midfield and Sabitzer would provide that, being able to play as either an eight or ten.

While it’s not a done deal, this report saying that Sabitzer is 75% certain to sign for Tottenham isn’t nothing, but we know deals can fall apart at any time. With it still being March, we have some time before this rumor starts to boil over.