Tottenham have been offered a chance to strike for a top class centre half after the player’s contract negotiations with Inter were put on ice, per a report.
Spurs could shift to a back five next season under the guiding hand of new manager Nuno Espirito Santo. The ex-Wolves boss had his team at their best when deploying an extra man at the back. Doing so in North London could help shore up a defence that was sixth-best in the league last year.
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A traditional back four remains an option to ensure Spurs’ attacking threat isn’t diminished. But either way, reinforcements in central defence are a primary focus this summer.
The club have been heavily linked with Bologna’s Takehiro Tomiyasu with a recent report revealing a decision will be made ‘soon’.
Toby Alderweireld’s time at Tottenham is coming to an end, meaning a double capture may be required.
One player who could fill the void is Inter Milan’s Dutch defender, Stefan De Vrij.
New sporting director Fabio Paratici is known to be a fan of the 27-year-old from his time in Italy. It was stated in June a move for De Vrij could be made for a fee of around €22m.
Inter were under pressure to balance their books after the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic hit hard. However, the recent sale of Achraf Hakimi to PSG eased their financial burden.
That led to their stiffened resolve to retain De Vrij’s services with talks underway over a fresh contract.
However, HITC (citing Calciomercato) reveal progress on that front has stalled.
Inter are said to have ‘frozen’ negotiations which has cast the defender’s future into doubt.
While it is reiterated the Serie A champions still want De Vrij to stay, a chink in the armour has potentially opened the door for Tottenham to strike.
Meanwhile, Tottenham are reportedly ready to go head-to-head with Premier League rivals Manchester United in a bid to sign an outstanding Serie A centre-back.
Cristian Romero is the name in question, with the 22-year-old playing a key role as his country ended their 28-year wait to win the Copa America over the weekend.
Romero joined Atalanta on a two-year loan deal from Juventus last summer and has been a revelation since his move to Bergamo. Atalanta have the option of signing the defender for a bargain £13.7m this summer, a year ahead of schedule.
That is something they are expected to pick up, with a view to cashing in immediately. Indeed, they are looking for more than three times that amount to sell.
Calciomercato claims that Spurs, Barcelona and United are the three main clubs showing an interest. The fee being mooted at this stage is around £52m (€60m).
While that fee may be steep for Daniel Levy’s liking, Paratici has reportedly given the move a thumbs up. Romero, who was voted the best defender in Serie A last season, is said to be open to a move to England.
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