Soccer Football - Serie A - Atalanta v AC Milan - Stadio Atleti Azzurri, Bergamo, Italy - August 21, 2022 Atalanta's Ruslan Malinovskyi celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Alberto Lingria
Tottenham Hotspur reportedly have their eyes on securing a transfer deal for Atalanta midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi.Â
The Lowdown: Conte’s transfer track record
Since Antonio Conte took charge of the north London club almost a year ago, the Lilywhites have brought in some truly top players from Serie A such as Rodrigo Bentancur, Dejan Kulusevski and Ivan Perisic.
Having thrived in Italy with both Juventus and Inter Milan, it’s easy to see where the 53-year-old, with the help of compatriot Fabio Paratici, likes to shop.
And looking ahead to the January window, it appears that another Serie A figure has caught the attention of the Spurs boss.
The Latest: Malinovskyi on Spurs’ radar
According to a recent report from Il Giorno, Tottenham and Conte are interested in making a move to sign the Atalanta star in the upcoming January transfer window.
The report also adds that fellow Premier League sides West Ham United and Nottingham Forest also have an interest in the player, who has been described as “extraordinary” in by his manager Gian Piero Gasperini.
The Verdict: A smart move for Spurs
Despite only playing a total of 398 minutes across 11 Serie A appearances this season, Malinovskyi has the third-highest rate of shots at goal per 90 minutes at Atalanta (2.49) as well as the third-highest number of passes into the final third of the pitch (28).
This shows just how much of a useful creative and attacking figure the 29-year-old can be, with Spurs arguably missing a creative spark to connect defence and attack.
Do Spurs need to sign players in January?
Yes
No
There are currently nine clubs in the Premier League that have made more passes into the final third this season than Spurs (384), and this highlights the need for the Lilywhites to add a player like Malinovskyi to their ranks for when Kulusevski is injured.
The midfielder, who has 74 clubs goals to his name, is out of contract next summer, so could be up for sale at an absolute bargain price in January.
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