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Tottenham target Leandro Damiao nearly joined Napoli but won't consider Southampton
LEANDRO DAMIAO's agent has confirmed that the player came very close to joining Napoli earlier this summer but the club chose Gonzalo Higuain instead.
Damiao has been linked with a move to Tottenham, but Spurs' interest was thought to have cooled after Internacional president Luis Cesar Souto de Moura insisted the player would be staying in Brazil until after next summer's World Cup.
But now the player's agent, Vinicus Prates, has revealed that a move this summer could have taken place, had negotiations over sponsorship and image rights not reached an impasse.
Prates said: “There were negotiations with Napoli, but the inherent difficulties tied in to sponsorship contracts and image rights made it impossible to reach a deal with Aurelio De Laurentiis.
“The club preferred to turn to Higuain, so now Damiao is working hard with Internacional while he waits for a great proposal from Europe.”
Whether Tottenham are in a position to make such a proposal, or will be if Gareth Bale departs, remains to be seen, but one club who are not part of Damiao's reckoning are Southampton, who had been linked with an £18m bid for the Brazilian international.
Prates told TMV: “He is wanted by several Premier League clubs. Southampton put in a request in the past, but Leandro Damiao has decided to target a more ambitious club."
Damiao has also been linked with a move to Zenit St Petersburg, who were rumoured to have bid £21.5m for the 24-year-old and offer £3.8m in wages a season but a move has failed to materialise.
And Prates has also moved to dispel talk of a move to Roma, saying: “There is nothing concrete with Roma. They are a good side, but there has been no contact.”
For now, at least, Tottenham appear to remain in with a chance of bringing their long-standing target to White Hart Lane.