It’s something of an open secret these days that spurs target David Raya is a target for Tottenham.
Almost every reputable news outlet has reported it, while Lee Dykes himself has addressed Spurs’ interest in the player.
Martin Lipton has claimed that Raya himself does want to join Spurs, but despite all of this momentum behind the deal, this won’t be an easy transfer.
Indeed, according to The Mail, Brentford are unwilling to budge on their £40m valuation of Raya, and they’re willing to make an example of the Spaniard.
The Mail report that Brentford are actually willing to make Raya rot on the bench behind their new signing Mark Flekken in order to prove a point.
This is an interesting strategy, and perhaps it isn’t a wise one.
On one hand, it does show other clubs that Brentford won’t be bullied into selling their star players and that they are indeed a powerful club in their own rights, but at the same time, making Raya rot on the bench will only reduce his market value further, and that is risky when you’re heading into the final year of his contract.
It doesn’t take the greatest businessman in the world to realise that £20m is a better deal than £0, and if Raya doesn’t end up getting his move this summer, Brentford face losing him on a free this time next year.
Of course, Brentford’s hope is that they will get the £40m they want for Raya, but given Tottenham’s historical hesitancy to splash the cash in the transfer market, it may be difficult for the Bees to twist Spurs’ arm and force them to pay that £40m fee for Raya this summer.
This is certainly a situation to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.
