Tottenham are set to join the summer race for Lille defender Sven Botman, according to a report by Tuttomercato (via the Express).
The Lowdown: Botman’s hectic January window
It is well documented that Newcastle United were extremely keen on signing the Dutchman in January.
The 22-year-old was the Magpies’ first-choice centre-back target and it was believed that the player would have been open to the move. However, the Ligue 1 side remained firm, refusing to a sanction a transfer for the defender during the winter transfer window.
Calciomercato journalist Daniele Longo claimed that Newcastle made a last-ditch attempt at signing Botman with a £33million bid, but the youngster had decided that he now wanted to wait until the summer before making a decision regarding his future.
The Latest: Spurs join race for Botman
According to a report by Tuttomercato (relayed by the Express), Tottenham are set to enter the running for Botman in the summer, alongside the Magpies again.
Fabrizio Romano recently revealed that the player’s agents were in Milan last weekend, and this latest report seems to imply the Serie A outfit are indeed the favourites, but Fabio Paratici apparently ‘wants to give at least one’ international level centre-back to Antonio Conte.
The Verdict: A strong addition
This follows heavy praise from Milan’s technical director and club legend Paolo Maldini, who exclaimed that Botman is a “great player”. Lille teammate Jose Fonte reinforced this message, saying “he has all the ingredients to succeed” at the highest level.
Therefore, it is easy to see why Paratici is interested in Botman. His 6 foot 4 stature means he could prove to be a fantastic asset in both boxes for Conte, with Whoscored listing his strengths as aerial duels, passing and concentration.
The central defender leads his side in clearances made per game in the French top-flight, averaging a mighty 4.7. He also throws himself in front of everything, averaging an important blocked shot per game in Ligue 1.
Paratici couldn’t do much better than Botman if he’s hunting for a superstar centre-back in the making.
In other news: Yaya Toure may make Spurs role official
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