Tottenham Hotspur were ‘considering’ making a late move to sign Atalanta attacking midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi this summer, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Malinovskyi’s contract

After spending three-and-a-half-years in Belgium with Genk, the 29-year-old signed for the Serie A outfit in 2019 in a deal worth €13.7m (£11.8m).

Putting pen to paper on a four-year deal, the Ukraine international has now entered the final season of his contract with Atalanta, which is set to expire at the end of June 2023.

Statistically, Malinovskyi’s tenure in Italy has been very impressive; in 104 top-flight games, the midfielder has amassed 23 goals and 23 assists – illustrating his clinical playmaking ability in the final third.

The Latest: Romano’s news

Romano has now revealed that Spurs were eyeing up a move for the Ukrainian this summer, but Atalanta were adamant that he would remain on their books this season.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, the reliable journalist claimed: “They also were considering Malinovskyi, but Atalanta had no intention of letting him go on loan or on a permanent deal, and so, that did not happen.”

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The Verdict: Strong signing

With the Lilywhites on the lookout for a creative midfielder to add to Antonio Conte’s squad, the 29-year-old would have been a strong addition with his attacking skillset.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, Malinovskyi ranks in the top 2% for shots taken, the top 4% for progressive passes and the top 5% for expected goals assisted and shot-creating actions.

Having been hailed as a ‘decisive’ playmaker by Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini, the Ukrainian’s arrival at Hotspur Way would have added strong competition to Tottenham’s already impressive attacking options.

Therefore, Spurs' inability to clinch a move for the midfielder would have been made even more galling by reports that the player wanted to join the north London club.