Tottenham transfer spotlight: Five things you need to know about the Brazil ace Spurs could sign
Brazil midfielder Paulinho is on the verge of signing for Tottenham after the club reportedly offered Corinthians £17m to take the 24-year-old to north London. “They have a reputation as one of the great clubs in England who play exciting, attacking football which suits my style,” Paulinho said, insisting it would be hard to turn AVB and co. down as it “would be a fantastic opportunity to play for Tottenham.”
talkSPORT run the rule over the coveted player...
1) Former Arsenal midfielder and Corinthians' current Director of Football, Edu, said Paulinho has “the strength needed to play in the Premier League” in an interview in December 2012. He also added that along with Neymar - prior to his transfer to Barcelona - Paulinho was one of the most important players in Brazil. “He plays box-to-box, is never injured and scores goals. He is strong and plays hard, like in England,” Edu claimed.
2) Paulinho has worked hard to be in a position where so many top teams want him. Between 2006 and 2008 he was playing in Lithuania and Poland at Vilnius and Lodz respectively, but finally began making a name for himself at Bragantino in Sao Paulo who he joined in 2009. Corinthians snapped him up a year later and in 167 games, the midfielder has scored 34 goals.
3) He is just as lethal going forward as he is just in front of the back four, helping his defence break up attacks. Paulinho's surging runs and precision passing has resulted in, as Edu points out, goals, but he also acts as chief creator, setting his team-mates up to finish, too. However, he has had to rein in his presence around the opposition box when playing in Brazil colours due to the attacking threat of full-back Dani Alves, requiring the coolness of Paulinho to cover.
4) Paulinho helped his club win its first ever Copa Libertadores in 2012 when they beat Argentina's Boca Juniors in the final. He scored against Vasco in the quarter-final to earn Corinthians a place in the last four and earlier in the year it looked like he would leave Brazil for Europe when Inter approached Corinthians with an offer. He rejected it, though, explaining that although the offer would have made him a very wealthy man, it was not the right time to leave.
5) He made his Brazil debut against Argentina in a 0-0 draw in September 2011 and so far represented his country 15 times, scoring four goals. Paulinho ensured Brazil did not suffer a repeat of their defeat to England in 1984 when he bagged a late equaliser against Roy Hodgson's side in a recent 2-2 draw at the Maracana.
Listen to Jon Cotterill, football commentator for Brazilian network TV Globo, discussing the player on talkSPORT.
Are you excited about the signing of Paulinho? Where should the manager strengthen next?