Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly ready to make a move to land Napoli shot-stopper Alex Meret, valued at €40 million.
According to Napoli Calcio Live, Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur have been backed to move fast in their pursuit of SSC Napoli number one Alex Meret ahead of the 2023 summer transfer window.
The north Londoners are in the midst of a revamp following Antonio Conte’s departure from the club. Cristian Stellini will hold the reins as interim manager until the end of the season when a permanent manager will be brought in.
Despite the promise shown over the past few years, Tottenham still need some key additions to their playing roster. One of them is at the back, with Hugo Lloris in the twilight years of his career.
The World Cup winner has been Spurs’ go-to man in goal since arriving at the club in 2012. For a player to hold onto the number-one spot for over a decade in the Premier League speaks volumes about the Frenchman’s abilities. However, at 36, his powers are on the wane and the club has every reason to seek a long-term replacement.
Meret has caught the eye following a string of solid performances for Serie A favourites Napoli. The 26-year-old joined the Gli Azzurri from Udinese Calcio in 2018 and has since made 130 appearances, keeping 44 clean sheets. Of late, his development has stood out, and Meret is inarguably one of the best shot-stoppers in the Serie A.
Tottenham are now ready to ramp up their efforts to land the Italian international. A figure of around €40 million has been touted as the player’s valuation. While it is certainly not cheap, Spurs can future-proof a key area of the roster should they shell out the cash.
Luciano Spalletti is in no mood to lose his goalkeeper, and it is unlikely that Napoli will play ball unless a strong bid is put on the table. A lot could depend on whether the Italian international’s head could be turned by the offer to play in the Premier League.
Tottenham have looked to the Italian top-flight for reinforcements in recent windows and could yet raid Serie A for more. Meret’s deal at the Diego Armando Maradona runs until 2024. And a lot will depend on where the player stands regarding a potential switch.
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Tottenham will hope that Napoli loanee Pierluigi Gollini will not have a word with Meret. Gollini spent last season on loan at Tottenham and did not show enough to suggest that he can replace Lloris. Whether Meret can will now be the question. After all, given how both teams have been performing of late, swapping Naples for London is a step down at this point in time.
