Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be 'fairly confident' of agreeing a deal with Sporting CP for wing-back Pedro Porro before the end of the January transfer window.
Spurs have been locked in talks with the Portuguese side for a number of weeks over a deal for the highly-rated Spaniard.
Sporting boss Ruben Amorim has consistently stressed that Porro will not be sold unless his €45m release clause is met up front. However, 90min understands some members of their hierarchy are tempted to accept an offer in instalments.
Talks are also ongoing with Roma regarding a potential deal for Nicolo Zaniolo prior to next week's transfer deadline.
Speaking on 90min's Talking Transfers podcast, transfer correspondent Graeme Bailey believes Spurs are 'fairly confident' of coming to terms with Sporting for Porro.
Listen now as Scott Saunders hosts Graeme Bailey and Toby Cudworth to discuss the latest transfer news. On today's agenda: Dusan Vlahovic, Anthony Gordon, Enzo Fernandes, Amadou Onana, Malo Gusto, Nicolo Zaniolo, Pedro Porro, Weston McKennie, Milan Skriniar, Maiximo Perrone & more!
If you can't see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!
"They do want both players, Zaniolo and Porro. Zaniolo is likely to be a loan with an obligation of some sort, but yeah he's available. They're keen on doing that," he said.
"Porro's a player they've liked all window. I'm getting sick of reading every Ruben Amorim [press conference], I'm sure he is as well. Every press conference he has to come out and say, 'I'm keeping him unless you play the release clause, etc'.
"However, as we've said before, there are people within Sporting's hierarchy who want to take this deal. At the moment, it's about €37m plus a player, we don't know who that is but I think basically they've got a pick of a few out of Tottenham's reserves.
"But a point that was raised to me by a Portuguese source this morning was that the Sporting hierarchy are looking at this all now, if Porro's progress continues and he's only going to get better and better, Manchester City have a buy-back [clause] of just €20m.
"That is the worry. If he continues his progress at the pace he is now, that €45m might not be worth the paper it's written on if City bring him back for €20m. Not necessarily to use him or, given the [Joao] Cancelo situation [that he could leave], you wouldn't rule out Porro maybe going back. But that's the worry. It's a really interesting situation for Sporting.
"I think with that in mind, I think Tottenham are fairly confident they can get him as well."
Source : 90min