“Agent has already contacted me” about Copa appearance
Is he ready to leave Tottenham? Rodrigo Bentancur, 26, has been linked with Turquoise giants Galatasaray.
“Galatasaray are interested in Bentancur,” SpursWeb, a Tottenham news outlet, reported on Nov. 23 (KST). “Galatasaray know it will be a tough battle, but the Okanburg coach is doing everything in his power to bring Bentancur to the club,” the report added.
Earlier in the day, Turkic media outlet Taksim detailed Rodrigo’s move to Galatasaray. According to the publication, Galatasaray have already been in contact with Bentancur. “Galatasaray want to reach the top round of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) next season and are keen on strengthening their squad,” the outlet said. “Galatasaray, who are looking to strengthen their midfield, have surprisingly already contacted Bentancur’s agent. The two sides have even discussed the financial terms of the transfer.”
“The Galatasaray hierarchy will do everything in their power to sign Bentancur,” said the source, adding, “Bourque also wants him badly.”
Bentancur joined Tottenham from Juventus in a €19 million ($28.2 billion) transfer in 2022 under Antonio Conte. He has since made a total of 69 appearances in three seasons. His contract with Spurs runs until 2026.
Spurs aren’t going to let go of Bentancur easily. “Manager Enze Postecoglou has labeled Bentancur as a ‘resource to be retained’ alongside Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr,” according to Alasdair Gold of Football London. Bentancur was limited to 23 league appearances (13 starts) last season due to a prolonged injury. However, with the likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Giovani Rosselso likely to leave the club, and Oliver Skipp not being a first-team midfielder, Bentancur’s presence is needed.
Bentancur, who is currently preparing for the Copa America, is expected to have more concrete talks with Galatasaray once the tournament is over. There is also the question of whether Bentancur will join Tottenham’s preseason tour of South Korea. The Spurs squad will travel to South Korea in late July to participate in the 2024 Coupang Play Series. Spurs will play two friendlies against K League All-Stars on July 31 and Bayern Munich on August 3, respectively. Bentancur’s 카지노 trip to South Korea will be contingent on whether or not he makes the move to Galatasaray.
If Bentancur does visit South Korea, he is unlikely to be welcomed by the local fans. He”s been criticized by fans for his recent racist behavior towards Tottenham teammate Son Heung-min. Bentancur made a racist joke about Son during an interview for the Uruguayan program Por la Camise. Bentancur, who was being interviewed while holding a small child, responded to the host’s request to “get Son Heung-min’s jersey” by saying, “I don’t know if I can get his cousin’s jersey. He looks the same as his cousin,” he said. The host responded, “Oh, I see.” Bentancur’s remark caused a stir. It was a racist comment that implied that all Asians look alike.
Amidst the outpouring of criticism, Bentancur realized the seriousness of the situation and quickly posted an apology on his social networking service (SNS). “Sonny (Son Heung-min’s nickname), I want to apologize for what happened, what I said was a ‘bad joke,'” he wrote, adding, “You know how much I love you, I never meant to disrespect or hurt you. I love you.”
As the controversy continued to brew, Bentancur posted a second apology on Feb. 22. “I had a conversation with Son Heung-min, and he understood that it was a misunderstanding that came from a deep friendship. I want to make this clear to everyone,” he wrote, adding, “My friend (Son Heung-min) and I have cleared everything up.” “If anyone was offended by my interview, I sincerely apologize,” he continued, but also expressed his frustration. “I hope you know that I never mentioned anyone else. It was only to Son Heung-min and it was not my intention to offend anyone else directly or indirectly,” he explained.