news-engine

Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi has given an update on the future of central midfielder. Tottenham Hotspur fans must be thanking the board for fulfilling their promise of backing head coach Roberto De Zerbi in this summer transfer window. The Italian tactician promised to set ambitious targets after guiding the club to safety on the final day of last season. Back-to-back 17th-place finishes have resulted in the Lewis Family loosening the purse strings this summer, spending around £235million on new players thus far. And as Roberto De Zerbi stated in his press conference on Friday, the Lilywhites are ‘not done yet’ in the transfer window. The Tottenham boss also gave an injury update on his squad ahead of their season-opener against Brentford on Saturday, ruling out a few players. One of them is Pape Matar Sarr, who will sit out the first game due to minor knee pain. De Zerbi issues verdict on Pape Matar Sarr’s future at Tottenham The Senegalese international has been heavily linked with an exit from Spurs in recent weeks. Aston Villa have identified him as an option to boost their midfield unit. Galatasaray appear to be the frontrunners for the 23-year-old’s signature. They have already had an €18M opening bid rejected, with Tottenham valuing Pape Matar Sarr at €25M. De Zerbi was asked in his press conference about whether he could guarantee that Sarr would be at the club beyond this transfer window. To which, our gaffer responded (h/t The Standard). “For Pape, he started pre-season late because he started in Senegal until the first week in August, I think. “He’s a good player. I don’t know if he stays or not. We have to analyse the situation. But he is another very, very important player.” Sarr wants to join Galatasaray Galatasaray are pushing to sign Sarr before the transfer window slams shut. The Turkish giants have reportedly reached an agreement on personal terms with the hardworking midfielder on a three-year contract worth €9 million. Despite interest from several clubs across the world, including Aston Villa and Al-Ahli, the Tottenham man has made up his mind to join Okan Buruk’s side in the Turkish Super Lig. The lucrative package and the opportunity to play in the Champions League seems to be the tempting factors for the player to quickly reach an agreement on personal terms with the Turkish champions. Galatasaray and Tottenham technically remain €7 million apart in valuation, which isn’t sizeable and can be easily bridged. As Sarr still has four years to run on his existing contract, Spurs are in a strong position to dictate terms of the player’s future. So, Galatasaray must meet the €25 million valuation, or he stays in North London.