Spurs & Liverpool Handed Blow In Striker Pursuit
Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a blow in their reported pursuit of Porto striker Jackson Martinez as he prepares to enter talks over a new contract, his agent has revealed.
The Colombian international has been linked with a move to a number of clubs across Europe following his prolific campaign for the Portuguese giants where he struck an incredible 26 goals in just 30 league appearances last season.
A number of reports have linked the 26-year-old with a move the Premier League this summer, with Martinez himself adding to such speculation by hinting that he will consider his options over the summer months.
However, Martinez's agent Luis Manuel Manso has indicated that he expects his client to enter talks with Porto in the coming weeks regarding a new contract which could place the striker out of the reach of his Premier League suitors - for this summer at least.
"We don't want to turn Jackson into an inaccessible player," Manso was quoted as saying in Abola.
"We want to renew his contract but keep more or less the same conditions. I don't know for how many more years, we will only know after we all talk."
Andre Villas-Boas was recently quizzed on the club's reported pursuit with the Spurs boss playing down talk of a move this summer, potentially leaving Liverpool as the striker's only Premier League suitor.
Porto have already been stripped of two of their prized assets this summer when midfielder's Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez were snapped up by the ambitious French side Monaco for a combined fee in the region of €60m last month.
The club have also seen their two centre halves linked with moves away from the Estadio do Dragao this summer. Eliaquim Mangala remains heavily linked with a move to Chelsea after a superb campaign for the club, although a resolute Porto maintain they will not part with the 22-year-old unless his €50m buyout clause is met.
His defensive partner Nicolas Otamendi has found himself linked with a move to Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid with the Copa del Rey winners confident they will not have to meet the Argentine''s lofty buyout clause.
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