Vincent Janssen rejects Brighton switch to stay at Tottenham

The final bit of business for Tottenham Hotspur on deadline day appears to be a deal that materializes into nothing. With Fernando Llorente coming to Spurs today, it seemed that the young Dutch International might be off to Brighton and Hove Albion on a year-long loan. However, the move fell apart at the last minute, according to Guardian writer David Hytner.

The initial word is that Janssen turned the Seagulls down, opting instead to stay and fight for a place in the squad backing up Harry Kane.

At first glance, it’s a bit of a curious decision. The Dutchman, who played 64 minutes for the Netherlands against France tonight, spoke earlier this week about the possibility of leaving Spurs before the deadline in a bid for first team football.

“You’re never happy with [being a backup], everyone wants to play, but the situation is so.”

One would assume that Llorente is first in line to spell Kane, leaving scant opportunities for Janssen to play. He started just three competitive games for Spurs in 2017 and in three games this season he’s had just a two-minute cameo against Chelsea.

The Netherlands aren’t a lock to qualify for the World Cup, but Vinnie would still no doubt prefer to be getting minutes in the run-up to the tournament. The Llorente signing doesn’t quite spell the end of Janssen’s Tottenham career, but it’s certainly another nail in the coffin.