According to The Daily Star, Antonio Conte has personally set his sights on a new top transfer target for Tottenham Hotspur.
The Lowdown: Conte wants backing…
Following his arrival in north London, an appointment which came with much promise given his record of winning silverware, much has been made of whether Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will back Conte to bring in fresh faces.
The January transfer window saw both Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur arrive from Juventus but moves for both Adama Traore and Luis Diaz were unceremoniously hijacked.
A mixed window puts much emphasis on the summer as pundits and fans alike urge Tottenham to give Conte what he needs.
The Latest: Levy pressured to ‘strike a £30 million deal’ for Botman
As per The Daily Star, the Italian has now set his sights on a new top target. According to their sources, Conte is ‘still to be convinced’ that Tottenham’s ‘hierarchy’ will back him.
This is apparently ‘cranking up the pressure’ on Spurs chiefs and chairman Daniel Levy to ‘strike a £30million deal’ to sign Lille star Sven Botman before Newcastle United, as they wish to ‘appease’ their manager.
The Italian is ‘demanding’ that Spurs sign Botman as an ‘absolute priority’ this summer, green-lighting a bid as he gives ‘his seal of approval’ to move for the 22-year-old.
The Verdict: Get it done…
One of the most highly sought-after left-footed central defenders in Europe, Spurs and Levy will face a battle to sign the Dutchman. However, for a reported £30m, Conte is certainly right to prioritise a swoop given just how brilliant Botman has been at the top level despite his tender age.
Already lauded as an ‘established Champions League player‘ by pundit Noel Whelan, the defender has averaged more clearances per 90 in France than any Spurs regular has in the Premier League (prior to Lille’s clash with Lyon tonight), including the rejuvenated Eric Dier (WhoScored).
He has also found a higher percentage of his passes to team-mates (87.7%) than Spurs’ entire defensive crop, highlighting his composure and maturity (WhoScored).
If Conte can win the race for Botman’s signature, there is no doubting that he would be a stellar capture.
In other news: ‘Worrying’…Insider shares what ‘in the know’ source is ‘reporting’ at Tottenham, find out more here.
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