According to reports by Il Mattino (via Sport Witness), Tottenham centre-back Davinson Sánchez has been shortlisted as an option for Napoli as they seek to replace Kostas Manolas in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Sánchez a regular under Conte

The 25-year-old struggled for playing time under former Spurs manager Nuno Espírito Santo, remaining on the bench for the last four games of the Portuguese’s tenure at the club. However, the Colombian has been a regular for Antonio Conte in his back-five system, having played the full 90 minutes in Spurs’ last three games.

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Sánchez is an important component of Tottenham's defence as he leads the squad in offsides won per game (0.6), demonstrating his astute presence in the back-line.

The Latest: Napoli eyeing Sánchez

According to reports by Il Mattino (via Sport Witness), Napoli are searching for a replacement for Manolas following his transfer to Greek side Olympiacos.

Il Mattino have claimed that Sánchez is on the list of players that the Azzurri are monitoring ahead of the January transfer window. The Serie A title challengers have a limited budget, so it has been said that they will look for a potential loan deal whereby they only need to pay the player's wages.

The Verdict: Exit seems unlikely

Arriving at Spurs in a deal worth £42m, it does not come as a surprise that top European clubs are interested in the 25-year-old defender. Former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino once labelled Sánchez ‘a beast’, whilst his one-time Ajax manager Peter Bosz claimed that ‘he was a monster’.

Given the Colombian's increased game-time at Spurs this season, it seems unlikely that Conte would let Sánchez leave halfway through the campaign, especially as the 52-year-old likes to utilise three central defenders in a back-five formation.

If Napoli want to pursue Sánchez, it seems highly unlikely that anything will come to fruition in the January transfer window, especially on a loan deal.

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