Tottenham Hotspur are monitoring Brazilian striker Marcos Leonardo as Roberto De Zerbi begins shaping his summer recruitment plans, with the 22-year-old now firmly on Spurs’ radar after a prolific spell at Al-Hilal.
According to Brazilian outlet RTI Esporte, Tottenham have been tracking Marcos Leonardo for months, and the situation is now moving forward as the club assess attacking options for the summer window. Al-Hilal are open to selling, do not consider him central to their long-term plans despite his output, and are looking to recoup their investment at a valuation of around £55m.
Who is Marcos Leonardo and why are Tottenham interested?
The numbers across his career are genuinely impressive for a 22-year-old. Marcos Leonardo built his reputation at Santos, where he scored 54 goals and contributed 11 assists in 168 appearances, establishing himself as one of the most productive young forwards in Brazil. A move to Benfica followed, where he scored eight goals in 24 matches despite a shorter stay in Portugal. He then made the switch to Al-Hilal, where he has scored 44 goals and registered five assists in 72 appearances. This season alone he has bagged 15 goals in 29 matches, which has rebuilt his European profile considerably.
The consistency of his output across three very different football environments, Brazil, Portugal and Saudi Arabia, is what makes him an interesting proposition. He is not a one-league wonder. He has translated his game each time he has moved, and he has done it at an age where the peak years are still ahead of him.
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Does the Marcos Leonardo transfer make sense for Tottenham?
It fits the model De Zerbi and Spurs have been building towards. The club want forwards who are young, tactically adaptable and capable of immediate contribution rather than long-term projects. The previous approaches for Marcos Leonardo from Flamengo and Sao Paulo both broke down over finances, but European interest is now building seriously, and Tottenham are among the frontrunners.
The £55m asking price is not insignificant, particularly for a club that may be in the Championship next season. But if Spurs survive relegation and De Zerbi is given the summer rebuild he has been promised, Marcos Leonardo represents exactly the kind of ambitious, forward-thinking signing that could signal genuine intent under the Italian manager.
