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Tottenham midfield target seals £12.9m transfer – report
By Harvey Byrne
Midfielder Rafa Silva has joined Portuguese giants Benfica from Braga in a £12.9million deal, according to a report.
French publication L’Equipe claims that the 35-time Primeira Liga winners have won the race for the 23-year-old.
This report follows claims from the Mirror that Tottenham would make a formal move for the Portugal international after monitoring him closely since last season.
Braga president Antonio Salvador revealed that the club were vulnerable to a rival triggering his £17million release clause earlier in the month.
“Is Rafa leaving? As you know he has a 20 million Euro termination clause,” he said. “There have been clubs that offered twenty million, there was one in January that gave up more than twenty million and the player showed no interest in going there.
“Rafa has three more years of contract and he knows what Braga want. I liked to be with him, and have said so, but if it turns out we will work to replace as well.”
However, it would appear that Silva has decided to stay in Portugal and has been obtained for a lower fee than his release clause.
Silva helped Braga win the Portuguese Cup last season and was part of the Portgual squad that won Euro 2016.
Silva played a staggering 50 games last season in all competitions for Braga, scoring 12 goals and providing eight assists.
Mauricio Pochettino revealed on Thursday that Tottenham are in the market for up to three more signings before the transfer window shuts.
Spurs have made only two senior signings this summer, with midfielder Victor Wanyama joining from Southampton and striker Vincent Janssen being prised from Holland.
The Argentine boss is in the market for a new attacking midfielder and Sky Sports claim on their website that Tottenham have been working on a deal to sign attacking midfielder Kevin-Georges N’Koudou from Marseille.
In other Tottenham transfer news, Spurs have fielded interest in three of their defenders.