Tottenham have already knocked on Monza’s door for Serie A’s top scorer, but they are no longer alone: Juventus and Barcelona have joined the queue, and the Italian club have set a €30m to €35m price on a striker they signed for €2m plus bonuses in the summer.
| Status | Rumour |
|---|---|
| Player | Gustavo Varela, 21, Portuguese striker |
| Club | Monza (signed from Benfica in the summer for €2m plus bonuses) |
| Asking price | €30m to €35m |
| Interested clubs | Tottenham, Arsenal, Juventus, Napoli, Barcelona |
| January sale | Seen as near-impossible |
Gustavo Varela has gone from a cheap summer arrival to the hottest striker in Italy in a matter of weeks. He leads the Serie A scoring chart with nine goals in ten games, and the form has earned him a first call-up to the senior Portugal squad.
We first reported that Spurs had joined Arsenal in the race for the Monza striker earlier this month. The chase has grown a lot busier since.
Who else wants Gustavo Varela?
According to Tuttosport, Juventus have now entered the race, which puts them in direct competition with Napoli, who are expected to sign a new attacker in January. Both Italian clubs face a fight, though, because Arsenal and Tottenham have already made contact with Monza, and Barcelona have done the same.
That interest has pushed Ivan Juric’s side to start drawing up plans for their key asset. They know what they have, and they know the queue is getting longer by the week.
Can Spurs sign him in January?
Realistically, no. A January sale is seen as near-impossible, because Varela is central to Monza’s fight for survival in Serie A, and losing him in the middle of the season could be disastrous for them.
The price is already set, though. Monza want €30m to €35m for the 21-year-old, a huge jump on the €2m plus bonuses they paid Benfica. The player himself is very focused on taking the next step in his career and is looking for the right project to do it.
For Tottenham, and for Arsenal, the talks are still at a very early stage. Neither London club is anywhere near an offer.
Why Juventus have a head start
Juve look the best placed of the chasing pack for one simple reason: Varela has the same agent as their young talent Adin Licina. That kind of link counts for a lot when a deal comes down to who the player and his camp trust.
Monza are aware of the growing interest. This is their first season back in Serie A, and the club have had money worries for years, so a big sale would go a long way. That explains why the interest from Spurs and Arsenal has been talked about so openly: the more clubs in the room, the easier it is to start an auction and push the price up.
Is Gustavo Varela worth €35m to Tottenham?
Here’s the catch. Nine goals in ten games is brilliant, but it’s still a short run, and there’s a real chance some of it is a young striker riding a wave of confidence. We’ve already looked at what Varela brings as a player, and the upside is obvious, but €35m for a few months of form is a big bet.
That’s why the smart move for Spurs is to keep watching rather than jump. The next few weeks, with Portugal and back in Serie A, will tell us far more about whether this is the real thing. If he keeps scoring at this rate into the spring, the summer is when this one gets serious, and by then Juventus’ agent link and Barcelona’s pull will make it a proper fight.
