Mauricio Pochettino Looking to Lure Georgian Starlet to Spurs Despite Barcelona & Bayern Interest
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is looking to lure Georgia's precocious playmaker Giorgi Chakvetadze to north London, despite considerable interest from Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
The 19-year-old has been impressing for his country in the UEFA Nations League, and has provided four goals and three assists for the Georgians in their progression from Group 1 of League D.
Levan Verdzeuli/GettyImages
Barça had scouts stationed in the stadium for the draw with Andorra on November 15th, according to Marca, and have been monitoring the teenager for over a year, present at several of his club games for KAA Gent this season.
After rising to Dinamo Tbilisi's first team at the age of 17, Chakvetadze first gained attention from the European elite when he picked up four goals and nine assists in his debut season for the senior side. He then capitalised on this notoriety with a strong showing at the U17 European Championships in Azerbaijan.
In 2017, Bundesliga giants Bayern attempted to bring the midfielder to the Allianz Arena with a €6m bid, but Dinamo had already finalised a deal with Gent for €1.5m.
Despite the considerable interest from those totemic sides, Mauricio Pochettino is hoping to lure Chakvetadze to Spurs by offering him a clearer path to the first team. The Argentine tactician has a prolific record of moulding youngsters, having fostered the careers of Dele Alli, Eric Dier and Harry Winks at Tottenham.
It's worth stating the 46-year-old will also face competition from Premier League rivals Bournemouth, which would obviously represent an even greater chance at more action for the Georgian.
