Tottenham Transfer: Why a Quick Move for João Moutinho Would Be a Mistake

Andre Villas-Boas is already having an effect on Tottenham, acting quickly in his first few days in charge to chase transfers, flaunt his allowance and sign Gylfi Sigurðsson. The buys and flirtations being maneuvered by AVB are a welcome sight to Spurs supporters, who have long suffered an overly cautious and stingy approach to the transfer window.

However, one potential move seems set to be an error that could be have lasting effects on the club.

As was expected when Tottenham gained his services, Villas-Boas has begun targeting several players whom he once managed. The Spurs have apparently submitted a bid for Chelsea's Daniel Sturridge and tracked Raul Meireles's status.

The move that stands out is one that would have Tottenham sign Porto and Portugal midfielder João Moutinho. Moutinho had a fine season under AVB at Porto in 2010-11, and stood out in Portugal's run to the Euro 2012 semifinals.

However, there are some red flags about the 25-year-old's potential signing.

To be fair, few of these worries are on the pitch. Moutinho has been a leader and one of the top players for Porto for the past two years, and he played extremely well under AVB. A move to a team where he would no longer be top dog and to a league with a different style of play may seem like a bit of a risk.

His play at Euro 2012 (where he was not the star of his team) should quell those concerns. Plus, Moutinho is clearly a fan of AVB's and would be willing to play hard for him.

No, the real concern lies in the financial side of the deal.

Moutinho's stock has soared since Poland and Ukraine, with the likes of Manchester United reportedly after the midfielder. Hence, Porto have valued him at a whopping £28 million.

In case the magnitude of that number does not sink in, it is £11.25 million higher than the amount Spurs paid Dinamo Zagreb in 2008 for Luka Modric, which is currently the biggest move in the club's history.

Now, is Moutinho's play worth this money? An argument could be made that it does warrant that amount.

However, the problem lies in the potential transfers out of White Hart Lane.

As soon as Moutinho is signed, Spurs' negotiating power in terms of midfielders Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart vastly diminish. The two midfielders are already disgruntled and/or want-away, so signing yet another player as a blatant replacement for them obviously hurts the club's position.

The two are on enormous wages, yet Tottenham's lack of leverage will most likely force the club to sell Modric and VdV for much less than they are worth. Clearly, such a loss of potential funds coupled with their biggest ever transfer could have a massive financial impact on the club.

Thus, a quick move for João Moutinho, while seeming to be a prudent move to snatch him up before Manchester United, would actually be a huge mistake down the line.

Hopefully, AVB has the foresight to see this and is either putting out a feeler or setting up for an August swoop.

Otherwise, this could be a move Tottenham regrets.

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