Tottenham line up £33m move to sign ‘cornerstone’ of Thomas Frank’s future project
Tottenham are moving quickly to secure one of Italy’s most promising young defenders, with a report now suggesting an official bid could be imminent.
For most parts of the summer window, there had been talks about whether Tottenham Hotspur would keep hold of one of their best defenders – Cristian Romero.
Romero had been attracting interest from Spanish side Atletico Madrid and even Real Madrid, but those links have since cooled off, with reports claiming Diego Simeone’s side have moved on to other targets.
Still, Tottenham have been linked with more centre-backs, including Illia Zarbanyi, although Fabrizio Romano has tipped Paris Saint-Germain as the main suitors.
Tottenham interested in Giovanni Leoni transfer move
The links to centre-backs continue, as a fresh report from Caughtoffside now claims that Tottenham are close to making an official move for 18-year-old centre-back Giovanni Leoni.
The defender currently plies his trade at Serie A club Parma, where he featured 17 times in the Italian first division, scoring one goal and keeping three clean sheets.
It is understood that Tottenham are the ones leading the chase for the Italy Under-19 international, with the report stating that Spurs view the youngster as a cornerstone for their future defensive setup.
Tottenham, however, are not the only ones in the Premier League showing interest in the centre-back. It has also been revealed that Newcastle United are keen on the 18-year-old, and they too are said to be close to making an official move for Giovanni Leoni.
Parma sets price tag for Giovanni Leoni
With interest in the 18-year-old rife, it is stated that Parma have set a €30–40 million (£25.3m–£33.7m) price tag for their in-demand talent, and they are not looking to accept offers below that.
The defender is also catching the eye of Italian giants, including Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Napoli, and Bologna, who are said to also be tracking Leoni as part of their long-term squad planning.
Spurs, of course, are not ones to be shy to splash the cash on youngsters with huge potential, as we saw last summer with Archie Gray, where Tottenham paid £40 million to lure him to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
It would be interesting to see how things pan out with Leoni in the coming weeks, as it is claimed that his name is expected to dominate transfer talks.
The post Tottenham line up £33m move to sign ‘cornerstone’ of Thomas Frank’s future project appeared first on Spurs Web.