Tottenham Could Be Forced to Pay Over Double Touted Fee for Priority January Target Alex Grimaldo

Tottenham Hotspur could be forced to fork out over double the initial expected price of £25m-rated Benfica left-back Alex Grimaldo should they attempt to sign the defender in January.

Earlier this week Spurs were linked with a move for the 22-year-old, who looks set to leave the Stadium of Light this winter. 

It was thought that the Lilywhites were preparing a swoop with the possibility of seemingly disgruntled guardian Danny Rose potentially on his way out of the club. 

Reports in Portugal claimed that Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino would be able to land his man for a fee of around £25m, despite suggestions in Italy stating that Liverpool were quoted around £35m in order to secure the signature of Grimaldo.

However, according to a piece published by Sky Sports back in 2016, Spurs could be looking at double that due to a clause in the player's contract.

The article states that when Benfica signed the young Spaniard for a fee of around €1.5m (£1.29m) from Barcelona in January of that year, the Portuguese side implemented a release figure of £51m into the Camp Nou academy graduate's deal in order to ward off any potential transfer danger without claiming a substantial profit. 

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is known for one who is not too flamboyant with the purse strings, so whether the monstrous fee for Grimaldo is something the 55-year-old Essex-born businessman would consider remains to be seen. 

However, with speculation rife once again surrounding other options for the Lilywhites should Rose call time on his career at White Hart Lane, including Fulham teenage sensation Ryan Sessegnon, Spurs may still be able to land an impressive talent at a reasonable price.