Spurs Transfer News: Javier Pastore Is Gareth Bale Replacement?

by Joseph Dempsey

Daily Star. Pastore cost PSG £36 million from Palermo two years ago and the Argentinian's potential purchase would eat up a big chunk of the fee Spurs are demanding for Bale. Despite Tottenham continuing to publicly insist they will not sell the double PFA Player of the Year to Real Madrid or Manchester United this summer, the London club are facing up to the prospect of life without the 24-year-old. Reports in Spain suggest Real are prepared to offer an eye-watering, world-transfer-record breaking £100 million for Bale, which Spurs could find impossible to turn down. Former Tottenham boss David Pleat said:

"They were talking £50m, £60m earlier in the summer. "This could rise to something crazy like £100m. "At that stage, even Tottenham, who have resisted strongly, may have to look at it. How do you resist that type of money? Manchester United couldn't resist it for Ronaldo."
United sold Ronaldo to Real Madrid for £80 million in 2009, a fee which today remains a world-transfer-record. And the La Liga Giant's apparent willingness to break the record they themselves set is a clear indication of their determination to pry Bale away from White Hart Lane. Should that happen, Pastore could be on his way to North London as a replacement. The 24-year-old can operate in a wide or central midfield position but has not fulfilled his potential at PSG, scoring just four Ligue 1 goals in 33 appearances last season, and could be allowed to leave the Parc des Princes for less than the £36 million the French club splashed out for him two summers ago.

Contributor
Contributor

Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.