Report: Tanganga to AC Milan loan close, but Spurs want buy-back clause

Outgoings are the new incomings at Tottenham Hotspur this summer, and the one that appears the closest to actually happen is the departure of Japhet Tanganga. There have been a lot of rumors about an imminent deal between Spurs and AC Milan for the young Tottenham academy graduate, and Simon Jones in the Daily Mail has the most detailed one I’ve seen yet, suggesting that a loan deal is close.

We don’t usually put a whole lot of stock in Daily Mail transfer rumors here at Cartilage Free Captain, but there are times when it’s a good idea to at least pay attention to them, especially when there’s a lot of smoke around a particular transfer. Jones writes in the Mail that Milan wants Tanganga on loan with an purchase obligation at a set price, added at Tottenham’s behest. Interestingly, the report also says that a sticking point is Tottenham’s insistence on including a buy-back option into the loan deal that will allow Spurs to have the option to bring Tanganga back to London should they wish.

No numbers were discussed in the article — neither loan fee, purchase option, or buy back.

Now, look — I know, it’s the Mail. That said, this feels pretty plausible. Despite coming in as a substitute in a couple of Tottenham’s preseason matches this summer, it’s pretty clear that Tanganga is going to be pretty low on the pecking order in Antonio Conte’s side, and it’ll be a challenge to get back there. The best thing for Japhet right now is to go to a club that will play him, and AC Milan looks like a team where he can at least challenge to do that, even if he doesn’t waltz into the starting XI. A loan with a purchase obligation and a buy-back clause is the perfect hedge — it gives Japhet the opportunity to develop by playing quality minutes with a good team, and gives Spurs the ability to bring him home should he turn into a solid defender.

Spurs would get a little money now, more money a year from now, and still have the option to bring back a player with a high ceiling down the road. Sounds like a win-win for everyone. We may know more in a couple of days.