
Tottenham Hotspur
Premier League • England
Tottenham tipped to land ‘perfect’ Lucas Moura replacement in bargain January deal

Tottenham have tipped to bring in a ‘perfect replacement’ for Lucas Moura should the Brazilian winger opt to move on in the January transfer window.
Lucas has been relegated to a bit-part role this season, having suffered an injury earlier in the season, and has not been involved in any of the club’s build-up games for the Premier League return.
And now Spurs insider John Wenham claims the 30-year-old is on the verge of an exit.
Should Lucas indeed move on, Tottenham will need to bring in another forward to supplement Antonio Conte’s squad.
And according to Wenham, that man could be experienced Crystal Palace wide man Wilfried Zaha.
The Eagles star will be out of contract in the summer and could be available for a cut-price fee in January.
Although Patrick Vieira wants him to stay, the Palace chief admits the club will respect Zaha’s wishes.
Speaking ahead of the Boxing Day clash with Fulham, Vieira said: “I think Wilfried knows the position of the club and the decision is going to be his – and when he is ready, we will listen to what he has to say.
“But I think everybody knows we want him to stay at our football club, we want to grow with Wilfried as one of our leaders and the decision has to be his.
“However, the only focus at the moment is the way he’s been training. And how he’s preparing himself to compete and help the team to perform.”
Zaha would slot straight in at Tottenham
Despite Vieira’s hopes of Zaha staying, Wenham is convinced Tottenham can strike a deal for the 30-year-old.
He told Football Insider: “I would only be happy with Lucas going if we got a replacement in.
“There is no point in making the squad weaker. We need to be doing the opposite in January and making this squad as strong as it can possibly be.
“If you are looking for replacements, look no further than Zaha. He wouldn’t need time to adapt, he’s been playing in this league for years.
“He is in great form this season too. That’s an example of us getting stronger, losing Lucas but gaining Zaha. I would be very happy with that.
“I think Zaha would be the perfect replacement. He’s nearly out of contract, he probably wants to move to a big club. It’s ideal.”
Zaha is not the only winger potentially on Spurs’ radar though, with a report on Christmas Eve claiming that an £88m Napoli star is wanted by Fabio Paratici.
Tottenham are back in domestic action when they head to Brentford for the early kick-off on Boxing Day.
READ MORE: Tottenham raid for Premier League star in tatters as rival boss confirms new deal ‘very close’