Monaco spend big on Porto duo

Monaco have confirmed the signings of FC Porto duo Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez on five-year deals for a combined fee of €70million.

Both players collected Portuguese winners' medals for the third season in a row earlier this month and a number of European clubs were believed to have been chasing their signatures before Russian billionaire owner Dmitry Rybolovlev opened his chequebook.



Portuguese international Moutinho, who has spent the last three years with Porto since joining from Sporting Lisbon in 2010, came at a price of €25million.



News of the 26-year-old's transfer will be a major blow for Tottenham Hotspur, who had been expected to revive their interest in the midfielder this summer after missing out last year.



Colombian winger Rodriguez has collected eight trophies in a three-year spell in Portugal and has commanded a €45million fee.



A statement issued by Porto read: "Futebol Clube do Porto would like to inform the market that it has reached an agreement with Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club for the permanent transfer of players James Rodriguez and Joao Moutinho.



"The combined fee of this transfer is €70million (£60m), €45m (£38.4m) for the transfer of James Rodriguez and €25m (£21.4m) for the transfer of Joao Moutinho."



Claudio Ranieri's side have also been linked with a big-money move for Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao, who has attracted interest from Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City.

Moutinho cools Porto exit talk

Joao Moutinho insists he has "no intention" of leaving Porto, after being once again linked with a big-money move to Tottenham this summer.

The Portuguese midfield star has long been linked with former boss Andre Villas Boas, who has tried to sign him for Chelsea and more recently Spurs.



But big spending Monaco are now said to be lining up a move for him, as well as team-mate James Rodriguez.



However, Moutinho is more than happy with life at Porto, where he has just won his third successive league title.

"Right now nothing will make me change clubs. I am extremely happy here and the most important is happiness and winning titles," Moutinho said.



But he added: "My future is up to FC Porto. No player is immune to leaving. But if something does come up, it has to be something good for both parties."



"We want to improve the campaign from last year, we want to improve on the European level, we want to win everything you enter and it is with this in mind that we will enter the first day of the season," he said.

Moutinho says Porto are determined to improve on their European performances next year.

Joao Moutinho still wanted

Spurs will make a renewed bid to sign Porto midfielder Joao Moutinho in January but are unlikely to match their offer of £24m.



Spurs had almost completed the signing of the Portuguese international on deadline day only for the deal to collapse at the last minute with many blaming Porto for the failure of the deal.



Chairman Daniel Levy looks set to make a renewed bid for the 25-year-old in January as he looks for a long term replacement for Luka Modric but the signs are that the 25-year-old has priced himself out of a move and Tottenham will eventually look elsewhere as they refuse to be held to ransom by Porto.