Tottenham won’t make summer move for Inter's Vecino

Reports from Italy are linking Tottenham with a summer swoop for Matias Vecino, but he doesn't fit in to Mauricio Pochettino's plans.

Tottenham will almost certainly look to buy a new starting midfielder this summer, but don't look for it to be Matias Vecino. The 27-year-old Uruguayan doesn't have the characteristics required to succeed at Spurs.

Italian sources claim that Inter have quoted Tottenham a price of £30 million for Vecino. That would allow the Serie A club to turn a decent profit over the £24 million they paid to acquire him. In truth, it's not an unreasonable fee for a player of Vecino's experience and quality.

That doesn't mean he's the right player for Spurs. Pochettino will push the club to sign a young midfielder with a high work rate. Vecino isn't past his prime, but he's already fully formed as a player. He likes to sit back in defence and cover the back four. Tottenham already have that position covered with Eric Dier.

If Tottenham are going to pay big money for a 27-year-old he'll need to be a world-class level player. Vecino simply isn't that good. His Whoscored.com player rating average of 6.66 in 21 league appearances likely undersells his performance a bit, but he's not someone who can come in and immediately claim a spot in Pochettino's starting XI.

When you put Vecino in that light, it's easy to understand that Tottenham are not going to pay £30 million for a veteran who will likely end up on the bench during important matches. Pochettino's clear preference would be to blood younger midfield players into the squad during low-pressure fixtures. Vecino is much too expensive for a bench player.

As such, it's safe for Spurs fans to dismiss this rumour as an attempt by Vecino's representatives to stir up interest in their client. Tottenham will be active this summer, but their focus will be limited to young players and/or stars capable of making an immediate impact on their starting XI.