Tottenham close to cancelling Gedson Fernandes 18-month loan transfer early after just ONE appearance this season
TOTTENHAM are reportedly set to rip up Gedson Fernandes’ loan deal.
Fernandes, 21, joined Spurs on an 18-month agreement last January but will head back to Portugal next month after failing to shine.
Jose Mourinho‘s first signing as Tottenham gaffer has been limited to one game this term – a 63-minute appearance in September’s EFL Cup clash against Chelsea.
He has since failed to figure in any of Mourinho’s match-day squads.
According to Portuguese publication A Bola, Tottenham and Benfica agreed to terminate the loan deal in the past few days.
Spurs had an option to purchase Fernandes for £46million but his failure to make a mark on the first team meant that was never likely to be taken up.
The twice-capped Portugal international managed just two starts in all competitions following his move last season.
And Fernandes was left out of Tottenham’s 25-man squad for the Europa League this term, which Mourinho believes “was very bad for him”.
He said: “If he remains at the club from January, I cannot answer you. I truly believe that we have to respect the player and Benfica.
“The player because he deserves all our respect and Benfica because as a friendly club deserves our respect.
“So what they decide is fundamental and what they decide will prevail.
“The situation is sad because he was out of the Europa League list and by being out of that list reduced immediately a chance of nine matches that we already played in the Europa League, where we had five substitutions where we rotated the players a lot and we can bring to the bench 12 players.”
Benfica boss Jorge Jesus believes Fernandes was rash to make the move to north London.
Jesus said: “As for Gedson, I don’t know him very well because he never worked with me.
“Now, all these young people that Benfica have, if they don’t play in these teams, it is better to be at Benfica. In my opinion, they learn much more (if they stay).
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“If they don’t play for these teams, they might as well be at Benfica. They learn much more. Florentino (Luis) left, he is not playing [in Monaco], Jota is not playing [in Real Valladolid], Tomas Tavares is not playing [Alaves].
“If you are not going to play, it is better to be here.”
Fernandes could return to north London in February with Benfica, who face Arsenal in the Europa League last 32.