Tottenham have reportedly opened talks with Nice and Genoa over potential deals for Jean-Clair Todibo and Radu Dragusin respectively in January but that has not stopped them being linked with another Serie A defensive star.
Ange Postecoglou has always made the addition of another top-quality central defender his main priority in the January window, especially after injury and suspension issues for first-choice pairing Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven.
Romero is expected to be out for another month after going off at half-time of the win over Everton with a hamstring strain, although Van de Ven could return in around a fortnight after his own hamstring issues.
Ben Davies has filled in admirably for both players, but outside of that Postecoglou has also had to deal with injuries to summer signing Ashley Phillips and veteran defender Eric Dier.
However, both players were on the bench as the Australian opted to use right-back Emerson Royal centrally against Brighton as Spurs conceded four goals on the south coast to end their three-match winning run.
And with Dier almost certainly being allowed to move on in January, the addition of at least one new central defender is critical for the Tottenham boss.
Reports emerged over the weekend that the club have ‘reached an agreement’ with French club Nice over a move for former Barcelona man Todibo.
However, transfer insider Fabrizio Romano does not see that as an easy deal to conclude, hence the reported talks over Romania star Dragusin too.
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Scalvini remains a Tottenham target
And now Sky Sports reports that Italian defender Giorgio Scalvini also remains on their list of targets.
The Italy international is enjoying an outstanding campaign with Atalanta, who had huge success in selling younger players on in recent years.
He certainly ticks plenty of boxes for the Tottenham recruitment department, being just 20 and having the sort of physical components that should make him a success in English football.
Described by Football Talent Scout as a ‘complete, elegant, and dominant’ central defender, Scalvini’s capture would certainly be a coup for Spurs – although there is no mention of what sort of fee would be involved or whether Atalanta are actually willing to sell.
At just 20, Scalvini has 65 Serie A appearances to his name, as well as winning seven caps for Italy.
However, Todibo, at 24, still appears to be the best fit for Postecoglou, given his tremendous pace and ability to play the high line that the Tottenham boss employs.
Postecoglou, however, wants any transfer deals done early in the month as he prepares to lose the likes of Son Heung-min, Pape Sarr and Yves Bissouma to international commitments for potentially a month of the season.
Spurs are back in action on Sunday when they host a flying Bournemouth side in the Premier League.
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Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
