Damiao finally set for Spurs? Maybe not...

ESPN's website today carried quotes from Internacional President Giovanni Luigi indicating that Brazilian international striker and long term Tottenham target Leandro Damiao was set for a move to England.

“If a club want a player, they must talk to the president of the club at which that particular player plays, and not just deal with the agent – that is not correct behaviour,” Luigi told Tutto Mercato.

“Recently we talked with Tottenham, Leandro is very likely to play games in England in the coming year. On the other hand we can exclude Napoli.”

This will come as a great relief to Spurs fans who have become increasingly frustrated at the club's inability to sort out a transfer for the big number 9. The club from North London were first linked with Damiao in 2011, and despite continued rumours of negotiations transfer windows have continued to pass without any resolution.

The form of Emmanuel Adebayor (3 goals in 20 Premier League appearances this season) has been a constant worry for the White Hart Lane club, while Jermain Defoe has only one Premiership goal in 2013. Spurs will need to buy at least one striker in the summer, perhaps two if the rumours of Adebayor's demise are to be believed (and why wouldn't they after his slack attitude this season?).

However, Spurs supporters should not get their hopes up on the back of these quotes. Firstly, Internacional has a tangled mess of a boardroom, it is not like Spurs or most Premier League clubs where there is a chairman or chief executive who is solely responsible for handling transfer talks. Secondly, the club does not wholly own Leandro Damiao's registration, so Luigi is not even the sole negotiator on the seller's side.

Thirdly, and most interestingly/worryingly, Levy has already dealt with the Internacional set-up when Spurs were in talks to sign Sandro. That transfer dragged on but was eventually concluded, and while there may be differences over Damiao's transfer value, you would think the Tottenham chairman had the right guy's phone number having already concluded one transfer with the Brazilian club. Spurs and Internacional also agreed a 'sporting partnership', whatever the hell that means. You'd think that, as a result of all this, Levy and his Brazilian counterpart would be on speaking terms!

Perhaps the most reassuring quote out of all of this for Spurs fans who, like myself, would like to see Damiao at the Lane is that Luigi appears to rule out Napoli as a destination. The Italian team would be flush with cash should they sell Edinson Cavani and will be on the look out for a replacement striker.

Having spent so long chasing Damiao, it would be troubling if Spurs lost out on him now. There is a feeling that Levy should either stump up the cash or focus his efforts elsewhere. One thing is for certain, Tottenham cannot go through another window without improving and adding to their strike force.