Tottenham Hotspur edge closer to Pedro Porro move

Sporting Lisbon full-back Pedro Porro will push through a move to Tottenham on deadline day after missing training with his Portuguese club on the eve of the January window closing.

Porro, 23, put pressure on Sporting to accept a deal with Spurs, worth £39.5million, after having his heart set on a move to be part of Antonio Conte’s squad immediately. He had said goodbyes to supporters at the weekend in anticipation of a transfer.

As reported by the Daily Telegraph last week, there are doubts in Portugal over whether a €45million buyout clause for the right-back is still in place. And in the final days of the window Sporting have negotiated away from the release fee, with the clubs now on the brink of agreeing.

At Spurs, club sources have been clear the deal did not stall over finances and there has been frustration over Sporting digging their heels in over the terms of a deal.

With Porro not training with Rúben Amorim’s squad, Sporting risked having an unhappy player in their ranks for the rest of the season. Sporting looked at replacements such as former Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerín to give them cover for his departure.

After a two-year loan spell from Manchester City, Porro’s move turned into a permanent deal last summer when Sporting paid the player’s £7.2million buyout clause. They now stand to make a handsome profit on the Spain-capped defender, who is seen as suiting Conte’s 3-4-3 system at Spurs.

City signed him from Girona in 2019 and have a buy-back clause they can trigger if they want him back at the Etihad Stadium. Spurs have also signed Arnaut Danjuma during the January transfer window on loan from Villarreal to bolster their attack. Bryan Gil has also left Spurs for Sevilla on loan.