Tottenham agree BIZARRE €30m transfer for USMNT star

Tottenham have struck a deal for Johnny Cardoso, but it is not a straightforward Deadline Day move.

The United States men’s national team midfielder has caught the eye at Real Betis and evidently attracted the attention of Spurs. According to several reliable journalists such as Fabrizio Romano, Tom Bogert and Ben Jacobs, the north London club have now closed a deal with the Spanish side.

But, in a bizarre twist, it is entirely possible that Cardoso will not move to Tottenham on Deadline Day – or, in fact, at all. Because this agreement with Betis is not as straightforward as a simple deal between two clubs that will see a player head in a particular direction, although it can become this as well.

BREAKING NEWS! Transfer Deadline Day Live! Minute-by-minute updates of all the biggest deals

Rather, Tottenham have now managed to secure a ‘priority option’ on the American. This means that they can essentially sign him from Betis for a fixed fee whenever they please.

Spurs agree bizarre deal

So far, there has been little to suggest that Tottenham will exercise this option before the window slams shut this evening. Instead, they could sign Cardoso in January or next summer if they feel the need to bring in a midfield reinforcement.

The fee Spurs have negotiated with Real Betis reportedly stands at €30 million. Even stranger than the structure of this transfer is that, well, Tottenham don’t have to ever exercise their option – and they will actually stand to benefit from it if they don’t.

BREAKING NEWS! Transfer Deadline Day Live! Minute-by-minute updates of all the biggest deals

If they do not buy Cardoso and Real Betis instead sell him to a different club, Spurs will receive a part of the fee generated. So, in effect, the north London club have negotiated a sell-on percentage on a play they don’t – and may never – own.

What forced Real Betis into accepting such an odd deal is the fact that they have also reached an agreement to sign Giovani Lo Celso from Tottenham, with the player set to head back to his former stomping ground.

Without making concessions regarding Cardoso, the cash-strapped LaLiga side likely would not have been able to sign Lo Celso.