Why Levy is taking a huge risk by playing the waiting game in pursuit of £80m Premier League star

Why Tottenham are playing a risky game regarding Anthony Martial’s pursuit

As per reports, Tottenham Hotspur are ready to wait until the final days of the transfer window to sign Anthony Martial from Manchester United.

Tottenham are reportedly interested in Martial but they will not make a move for the France international forward next week. Instead, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy could move for the youngster in the final days of the summer transfer window.

Martial, 22, has left United’s pre-season tour of the USA to fly to France and attend the birth of his second child. The Frenchman’s relationship with United manager Jose Mourinho seems to have completely broken down and the Portuguese reportedly wants to sell him as soon as possible.

However, United’s executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward, is not keen to sell Martial to a direct Premier League rival. Also, the Red Devils value their French star at £80million, which is beyond Tottenham’s budget for a single player.

Spurs have a long-standing interest in Martial, having attempted to sign him from AS Monaco before his big-money move to Old Trafford in 2015.

Martial’s time with United has been full of ups and lows so far, and the final few months of the last season were scarcely good enough for a futuristic prospect to flourish. It is no secret that Mourinho doesn’t trust Martial as much as he trusts the likes of Jesse Lingard, Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford.

Spurs are smart for planning to take advantage of Martial’s situation at Old Trafford but they will make a mockery of themselves by waiting until the final days to make a move for the 22-year-old attacker.

Undoubtedly, Martial would be the perfect player to compete with Harry Kane and due to his ability to play on the wings, he will do a fantastic job at Spurs. Also, Martial is 22 and his talent is undeniable, making him a perfect player for Mauricio Pochettino.

However, Martial is rated at £80million, which instantly throws Spurs out of the picture as it is improbable to see the north London club forking out so much money on a single player. Even if Levy agrees to splash the cash on the France international, Spurs’ London rivals Chelsea are also reportedly interested in Martial, which could see them miss out on the 22-year-old if they delay the deal.

Read more: The next big thing? This could well be the breakthrough season for Tottenham’s 21-year-old prodigy

Spurs have a tendency of signing players during the later stages of transfer windows but in Martial’s case, Levy is walking a tightrope by waiting until the final days since he might miss out on signing a huge talent yet again.