Spurs set to miss out on the new Bale
Karan Tejwani
- 4 Jul 2022 11:43 BST
- 3 min read
Tottenham were eyeing up a move for Eintracht Frankfurt’s Filip Kostic, but have been dealt a blow in that regard in their pursuit of the Serbian.
Wing-backs have always been an important part of Antonio Conte’s system, and Kostic was targeted by Spurs with a view to a transfer this summer.
The North London club already signed Ivan Perisic this year and are working on a deal with Middlesbrough for Djed Spence, but Kostic was on their list of targets.
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Now, though, Spurs’ transfer plans have been affected as it’s become clear that Kostic would prefer to stay in Frankfurt for the upcoming season.
Kostic prefers Bundesliga stay
Reports from Germany suggest that Kostic will refuse any advances from other clubs and stay on with the Bundesliga side, who won the Europa League last season.
This will also affect Juventus, who have maintained an interest in signing the Serb in this transfer window, lining up a £17 million move earlier in the summer.
Kostic has often been compared to Gareth Bale for his directness and output, as well as the fact that he can play in multiple positions across the wing.
The Serb has managed at least 15 goal contributions for each of the last four seasons and is one of the Bundesliga’s most effective players in that regard.
Earlier in the summer, it was reported that Frankfurt were willing to give Kostic an extension on his contract to keep him at the club until 2026.
Goal probability: 2%
Filip Kostic:
☄️🎯😵 pic.twitter.com/NatR1gi6vn— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) January 28, 2021
That involved a pay rise, going from €2.5 million to €4 million-per-season, rewarding an excellent season where he scored seven goals and provided 15 assists across all competitions.
It was said that Tottenham were preparing a big offer for the player, but that interest has slightly cooled down since the signing of Perisic from Inter.
Other than Tottenham and Juventus, Inter themselves were interested in the player, but that will now be difficult if Kostic is keen on continuing in Germany.
