Tottenham are facing a race against time to complete the signing of Internacional striker Leandro Damiao before the transfer window shuts tonight after switching their attentions to the Brazilian forward following the potential loaning of Lyon's Lissandro Lopez fell through, according to the
Daily Mail. Spurs have been linked with a move for the 23-year old Brazilian for a while now and reports suggest manager Andre Villas-Boas has made a bid of £18 million - but only after the Lopez deal collapsed. Lyon value Lopez at £7 million and have already rejected Juventus' offer to sign the player on an initial short-term loan basis with the view of signing the Argentinian permanently in the summer. Instead AVB has his sights set on Damiao, who impressed for his country at the London 2012 Olympics, where he was Brazil's top goalscorer in the Men's Football. But with crucial minutes ebbing away in the transfer window, Spurs will face a real battle against time to complete the formalities of the deal, not that they aren't used to leaving things late. The protracted nature of any such negotiations have led to chairman Daniel Levy contemplating making a summer bid instead, though Spurs have decided to act today. Internacional sporting director Luis Cesar Souto de Moura told Brazilian media:
"Leandro Damiao will only leave if there is a very quick negotiation. "The news involving interest for Leandro Damiao, especially from Tottenham, will always happen, they come and go. "Damiao has a lot of quality, is a goalscorer, was the top scorer in the Olympics and he is a very important player. Internacional understand that its extremely difficult, very difficult, for Leandro Damiao to leave now."