Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly targeting £105 million centre-back duo Pau Torres and Alessandro Bastoni to bolster Antonio Conte’s defensive options during the January transfer window.
According to GIVEMESPORT, Tottenham Hotspur are keeping tabs on the situation of centre-backs Pau Torres and Alessandro Bastoni as Antonio Conte seeks defensive reinforcements when the transfer market reopens in January.
Spurs spent over £150 million ahead of the start of the season as seven new recruits walked through the door to add depth to the squad. The Spurs hierarchy tried to equip Conte with a squad capable of competing for top-four spots.
And the north London giants have enjoyed a pretty solid start to the campaign, as they sit fourth in the Premier League heading into the World Cup break, as well as progressing to the knockout rounds of the Champions League in dramatic fashion.
Spurs manager Antonio Conte could be keen to attract more talent to the capital as the club tries to keep pace with the teams at the top of the table, with reports circulating that Conte and Tottenham’s director of football, Fabio Paratici, will have a significant transfer war chest to work with this January to plug the team’s glaring holes.
The Spurs coach made bringing in a left-footed centre-back one of his top priorities last summer and was granted his wish as Clement Lenglet joined the club on loan from Barcelona. However, the Frenchman was not Conte’s top target and has looked extremely shaky at the back, with reports suggesting that it is highly unlikely that Spurs will make his stay permanent at the end of the season.
That means the Lilywhites will be back in the left-footed central defender market come January and could revisit their interest in a target they missed out on last summer.
Alessandro Bastoni, for one, has been earmarked as a potential target by a number of big sides. Indeed, Spurs were reportedly one of the most extensively-linked sides to secure his signature, with a bid ready to go in the summer.
It’s easy to see why some top sides want Bastoni. Despite still just being 23 years old, the £50 million-rated ball-playing defender has already established himself as one of Serie A’s best defenders, amassing over 130 competitive appearances for Inter Milan.
Conte managed Bastoni for two seasons at Inter Milan and clearly likes the highly coveted Italian defender’s attributes. Spurs should have no trouble satisfying the player’s wage demands or Inter’s fee.
However, it is doubtful that the Italian club would be willing to let go of their prized asset midway through the season, and the player himself is not interested in a move away at the moment, having already turned down an approach from the North London club last summer.
If Spurs fail to sign Bastoni, they have a ready-made second option lined up in the form of Villarreal central defender Pau Torres, who is more attainable thanks to a £55 million release clause in the Spaniard’s current contract, which is set to expire in the summer of 2024.
Both of the aforementioned targets will represent a big upgrade on the likes of Ben Davies, and Lenglet in the left-sided centre-back role. It will be interesting to see whether Spurs can get any of Bastoni or Torres over the line in January.
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