Tottenham ‘make £20m transfer offer plus Toby Alderweireld to Roma for Nicolo Zaniolo’
TOTTENHAM have offered Roma £20m plus Toby Alderweireld in a bid to sign Italy midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo.
Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport claim the North Londoners have made a £20.6m cash offer for the highly-rated 20-year-old.
Belgium international defender Alderweireld is the makeweight in the deal.
The defender has a £25m release clause so it would value the overall deal at just under £46m.
Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino has already signed two midfielders in Tanguy Ndombele, a £65m buy from Lyon, and £8.5m Leeds youngster Jack Clarke.
But the Lilywhites have not stopped there as Poch looks to strengthen his midfield, with interest for Dinamo Zagreb’s Dani Olmo and Real Madrid’s Dani Ceballos, and now Zaniolo.
The Roma star has only just turned 20 but has impressed after joining from Inter Milan last year for just £4m.
Juventus and Liverpool have also been linked with the youngster, who made his Italy senior debut in May.
But Tottenham’s big-money offer could sway it.
It was thought that Alderweireld would complete a move quickly this summer because of the clause in his contract that means he will only cost £25m.
However, this clause expires on July 25.
But only neighbours Arsenal have shown any interest in the former Atletico Madrid centre-half so far.
A move to London appeals to Zaniolo, who reportedly would like to work under boss Pochettino, although he would prefer a switch to Serie A champs Juve.
Zaniolo struck twice in the Champions League clash with Porto last season.
He scored six goals in 34 Serie A and Champions League appearances last term.