Tottenham Hotspur are loosely in the race to sign Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar, according to reliable journalist Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Skriniar and Conte

Having joined the Italian giants in 2017, the Slovakia international played 81 times under manager Antonio Conte during his two-year spell at the club.

The pair went on to win the Serie A title for the 2020/21 season, with Skriniar contributing to Inter’s league win with 32 appearances.

More recently, the 27-year-old made 35 appearances in the Italian top-flight last season, amassing three goals throughout the campaign.

The Latest: Jacobs’ news

With the centre-back’s contract set to expire in less than 11 months-time, Jacobs has shared news concerning the player’s future.

Taking to LastWordOnSpurs (via The Spurs Express), the reliable journalist revealed that Tottenham are loosely in the race for Skriniar.

This follows reports from May which linked the defender with a move to the North London club.

[web_stories_embed url="https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-2/" title="Tottenham latest developments!" poster="" width="360" height="600" align="none"]

The Verdict: Great signing if they can get it done

Looking at Skriniar’s underlying numbers, it is easy to see why Conte would be interested in a reunion with the defender at Hotspur Way.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, the 27-year-old ranks in the 96th percentile for non-penalty expected goals, pass completion and progressive passes received, displaying the traits of a forward-thinking defender who puts his side on the front foot.

Previously hailed as an ‘incredible defender’ by former teammate Adam Zilak due to his ability to ‘combine physicality and footballing intelligence’, the arrival of Skriniar at Tottenham would be welcomed by Conte, with the Italian on the lookout for a long-term addition to slot in on the left-hand side of his back three.

Therefore, if Spurs are able to drive down his £58.5m market value with a lower transfer offer, given the short period left on his Inter contract, this could be a great signing for the Lilywhites.