‘Classic Levy’ – talkSPORT journalist reveals exactly how Spurs chief ‘cost’ Conte in January

Tottenham missed out on signing Adama Traore and Luis Diaz because chairman Daniel Levy felt he would be able to strike a cut-price deal for both wingers late in the window, according to talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook (via Give Me Sport).

After Antonio Conte made it known that he wanted to bring former Wolves powerhouse Traore to north London, Fabio Paratici and Levy undertook lengthy negotiations with the West Midlands club.

As per The Athletic, Wolves rejected a bid of £15million from Spurs a few weeks into the window. It was said that the asking price was around £20million, so it was expected that an agreement would be made soon after.

However, La Liga giants Barcelona made an approach at the last minute, throwing the 26-year-old’s move to Tottenham in the air. The Spain international decided to reject the Premier League club and returned to the Nou Camp on a loan deal with a £30million option to make the transfer permanent.

Spurs were also set to sign Porto winger Luis Diaz, and were willing to pay up to £46million to secure the 25-year-old’s services. However, Liverpool swooped in at the last minute, and the Colombian opted to join the Merseyside club.

Crook believes Levy’s insistence on leaving deals until the end of the window proved his side costly.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, he said: “It was classic Levy trying to get players over the line in the last few days of a transfer window because you think you’re going to save a couple of quid.

“Ultimately, it cost them with Traore because I think if they had just come in earlier in the window and paid £20million, that probably would have happened.

“Maybe they should have been looking at getting a deal done for Diaz a lot earlier in the window as well.”

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