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Tottenham sign Carlos Vinicius...

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Tottenham sign Carlos Vinicius on loan as Harry Kane back-up


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Tottenham Hotspur have signed Carlos Vinicius on a season-long loan from Benfica. 

It ends Jose Mourinho's lengthy search for a back-up striker for Harry Kane.

Spurs had been linked with everyone from Bas Dost to Andrea Belotti to Arkadiusz Milik during the transfer window.

Mourinho had made it abundantly clear to the club's board his need for extra options up front, saying last month, "For the balance of the squad, the team needs it because in this moment the squad is getting very balanced, with different options for different positions."

Vinicius was the joint-top scorer in the Portuguese Primeira Liga last season with 18 goals in 32 games for Benfica.

The 6'3" striker has had an odd route to White Hart Lane. He was owned by - but never made an appearance for - Napoli. The 25-year old had loan spells at Rio Ave and Monaco before signing for the Lisbon giants in July of last year for €17million.

Vinicius will wear the no.25 jersey at Tottenham, following in the wake of such club luminaries as John Hendry, Jamie Slabber and Emmanuel Adebayor.

Spurs booked their place in the Europa League group phase on Thursday night with a 7-2 mauling of Maccabi Haifa.

After the game, Mourinho again criticised the schedule the club have found themselves enduring, saying, "What Eric Dier, [Steven] Bergwijn and Toby [Alderweireld] did is not human.

"It’s proven, scientifically proven, every sport scientist person knows that what they did shouldn't be done. To play 180 minutes in three days shouldn't be allowed.

"These three guys did it, I know that some others played also until their limit, but we managed because we have a good squad and we have a squad with different options."


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Benfica Carlos Carlos Vinicius Harry Kane Jose Mourinho Spurs Tottenham Tottenham Hotspur Vinicius

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