Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in Lyon’s in-demand attacking full-back Malo Gusto as they look to add a quality right-back for Antonio Conte during the January transfer window.
Tottenham’s search for a right-back continues, and the Lilywhites are now reportedly showing an interest in Malo Gusto from Lyon. That is according to the Football London journalist Alasdair Gold, who believes that Antonio Conte’s side have joined Manchester United in the race to sign the 19-year-old defender.
Spurs are likely to be busy yet again in the January transfer window after spending big money on players such as Richarlison and Yves Bissouma during the summer window. One potential area in need of bolstering in north London is the right wing-back position.
Sitting fourth in the table ahead of the final Premier League matchday of 2022, Conte is currently able to call upon the likes of Emerson Royal, Matt Doherty, and Djed Spence in that department.
However, the former has started the bulk of their matches, but he has come under heavy scrutiny for his inconsistent displays this season, whilst Doherty and summer arrival Spence appear not to be fully relied upon by Conte.
With Spurs identifying strengthening at right wing-back as a priority, any of the trio could be facing an uncertain future. A loan exit is possible for the young Spence, who hasn’t seen any action since his doubtful summer arrival.
Regardless of who makes his way out of North London, Spurs will want to sign an upgrade to keep Conte pleased. With this in mind, they have been linked with several options to strengthen the position.
They have been monitoring former Manchester City man Pedro Porro closely after facing him in the Champions League with Sporting CP. There have also been reports of interest in Inter Milan winger Denzel Dumfries, who joined the Serie A club shortly after Antonio Conte departed in 2021 and has since excelled.
According to journalist Alasdair Gold, both players are on the radar of Tottenham’s director of football, Fabio Paratici. Lyon teenager Malo Gusto is reportedly another right-back on Conte’s wishlist.
Gusto had his breakout campaign with Lyon last season. He was pretty impressive for the Ligue 1 outfit, registering five assists from 30 league games. The 19-year-old has been hugely impressive at Lyon in a short space of time and has caught the eye with his crossing ability and hold-up play, garnering interest from some of the biggest clubs from all across the continent.
Recent reports have claimed that Manchester United are prepared to make a January bid to sign the highly-rated Lyon right-back, while he has also attracted admiring glances from Bayern Munich, Newcastle United, and Barcelona.
Conte prefers to work with wing-backs who are athletic and heavily involved in the final third of the pitch, as well as defensively very sound. This has been a key reason for his preference for Emerson.
If Spurs were to sign Gusto, he would not only provide healthy competition for places but could well be thrown straight into the starting XI given his well-rounded attributes.
The French youngster is absolutely rapid, has truly brilliant technical ability, and is a really tenacious competitor. He is far superior to Emerson with the ball at his feet and incredibly dangerous out wide thanks to his exceptional crosses.
