Tottenham seeks long-term contract with Bentancur amid discrimination issues

Tottenham Hotspur wants to continue its relationship with Rodrigo Bentancur (28), who was punished for racism.

The British outlet 'Football Insider' reported exclusively on the 5th (Korea time) that "Tottenham has made a decision regarding Bentancur's future. According to sources, they are working to agree on a new long-term contract with Bentancur."

The media noted, "Tottenham has started negotiations with Bentancur, the Uruguayan national team midfielder. Despite facing difficulties due to injuries and an early-season suspension, he is ready to finalize a new contract."

Bentancur's contract with Tottenham will expire in June 2026. After the end of this season, there will be only one year left. If he does not sign an extension, Bentancur will be free to negotiate with other clubs starting in 10 months.

For Tottenham, this summer presents its last chance to either secure a transfer fee or sign a new contract. Manager Ange Postecoglou seems to prefer a contract renewal. Tottenham is reportedly considering that he deserves to remain with the team.

Bentancur joined Tottenham on loan in January 2022. After losing his footing at Juventus, he answered the call of manager Antonio Conte and took on the challenge in the Premier League, quickly establishing himself as a key player. He successfully completed a permanent transfer along with Dejan Kulusevski.

Since then, Bentancur has demonstrated versatility and has become a key figure in Tottenham's midfield. However, he has been hampered by injuries. He was sidelined for the season in February 2023 due to a Chonbang ligament tear and meniscus damage, missing over six months.

After a lengthy rehabilitation of about nine months, Bentancur collapsed again shortly after returning. He suffered a torn ankle ligament from a rough tackle by Matty Cash during a match against Aston Villa. Bentancur was only able to return to the field in the second half of the season.

Bentancur has played this season without major injuries. However, he was absent for seven games and faced fines after making a racist comment last summer saying, "Son Heung-min and his cousins all look the same." Since his suspension ended, he has mostly appeared in the starting lineup and has been relied upon by manager Postecoglou.

Tottenham is reportedly likely to send Yves Bissouma in place of Bentancur. Bissouma's contract also expires in June 2026, but he seems to be falling behind Bentancur in priority. In fact, Bissouma has not received much playing time, as he is behind not only Bentancur but also Pape Sarr and Lucas Moura.

'Football Insider' explained, "Tottenham will engage in intense contract negotiations with Bissouma. However, Bissouma is more likely to leave the team than Bentancur. Bissouma wants a guaranteed starting position, and if he does not get it, he is likely to attempt a transfer."

Tottenham is in a situation where it cannot promise Bissouma much playing time. Looking at this season's records alone, Bentancur has played 1,107 minutes across 29 games despite his suspension, and he is approaching 100 appearances for Tottenham. This is more than Bissouma's 1,055 minutes on the field.

If Bentancur signs a contract extension, he could stay at Tottenham longer than Son Heung-min. Son's contract also runs until the summer of 2026, but there have been no news of a renewal yet. Tottenham is reportedly having difficulties negotiating after simply activating a one-year extension option last January. It appears they are trying to secure Bentancur, a player in his 20s, before captain Son.

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