Mourinho finds right-back answer with £26m bid for Real man planned

Jo Harrison

Tottenham boss Jose Mourino is believed to lining up a £26million bid for Real Madrid right-back Alvaro Odriozola, say reports in Spain.

Despite his reputation for organising a backline, Mourinho has struggled in that department since being appointed as Spurs manager in November 2019.

The table shows that Spurs have shipped 40 goals so far this season, more than anyone else in the top nine and the same as 15th-placed Brighton.

Mourinho can’t be blamed for all of those but he hasn’t been able to stem the tide and is now seeking to shake things up at the back.

That’s brought Odriozola into the frame and Don Balon report that Tottenham are ready to take the plunge even though the 24-year-old has been branded a flop after failing to make his mark at the Bernabeu.

The Spaniard, who moved from Real Sociedad for €30m in the summer of 2018, has failed to settle at Madrid and, after making just five appearances for Real this season, he was loaned out to Bayern Munich.

Again, he’s not made an impression in Germany, making just two appearances for the Bundesliga giants.

While Bayern won both games, the scorelines were 4-3 against Hoffenheim in the German Cup and 3-2 at home to SC Paderborn in the league.

 

However, Odriozola clearly has some pedigree with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich his latest two clubs and Mourinho may think he can get the best out of the youngster.

While £26m has been quoted, transfer fees could be reduced with football’s economics facing a shake-up and Spurs may feel that the player represents good value in terms of his long-term prospects.

A sign of his class is that Odriozola has already been capped four times for his country, the first of those in 2017.

He has an international goal to his name too having netted the winner in Spain’s 1-0 friendly win over Switzerland in June 2018.

The defender was previously linked with a move to Manchester United two summers ago.