Tottenham transfer agreement as deal for player rated by Lionel Messi struck for summer

Tottenham forward Alejo Veliz is set to leave the club on a permanent deal, two-and-a-half years since he was lauded by Barcelona legend Lionel Messi.

Tottenham have agreed a deal to sell forward Alejo Veliz. The 23-year-old, who joined Spurs for £13million from Rosario Central in August 2023, has spent the last two years out on loan after scoring twice in 10 appearances for the north London club.

After spending time with Sevilla and Espanyol, Veliz signed for former club Rosario on loan for the 2025/26 season last July. Since his move back to Rosario, the Argentine has scored six goals in 19 matches.

And, once his loan agreement expires, Veliz is set to sign for Brazil side Bahia, after a deal was agreed on Thursday, football.london understands. It's understood a fee will be in the region of £7.8m with £871,000 in add-ons plus a 20 per cent sell-on clause inserted into a future sale.

Veliz's proposed permanent exit from Spurs comes two-and-a-half years on since Barcelona legend Lionel Messi praised the striker and compared his style to that of former Liverpool star Luis Suarez.

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When speaking about Argentina's best young players in September 2023, Messi said: "[Roman] Vega, [Maximo] Perrone, and especially Veliz."

"Watching him [Veliz] play reminds me of what Suarez used to play like. I am very excited for the future of this country, and hope I can be an influence to these people, and talk to him."

Veliz has not, as yet, lived up to Messi's expectations with the 2003-born attacker not yet making a single first-team appearance for Argentina. He did, however, make nine appearances for the nation's Under 20s.

With Veliz expected to see out the rest of the current term at Rosario, he will continue to play alongside another Argentina legend in Angel Di Maria, after the ex-Manchester United man agreed last May to return to his boyhood club once Benfica had finished playing in the 2025 Club World Cup.

Di Maria sent a number of messages to Veliz before the Spurs ace moved back to Rosario. "Ever since it went viral that I was returning to Central, Angel and I exchanged messages," revealed Veliz at his presentation (via ESPN).

"And when he said, 'Come on, you're missing now,' it's truly a driving force that pushes you forward, and I was crazy and wanted to come right away. What we wanted happened, and I'm very happy to be here."

He added: "Having this, my family nearby, my grandparents, is what fulfils me, what completes me. I don't feel like I am here anywhere else. I came back to be able to fulfil myself."