Tottenham Hotspur will have to battle it out with Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen for the signature of Riccardo Calafiori.
According to a report from Football Insider, Tottenham are looking to reinforce their defence in the summer and they are interested in signing Bologna defensive sensation Riccardo Calafiori. But, the North London club will have to compete with Bayer Leverkusen and Juventus in their pursuit.
Calafiori came up the ranks at AS Roma but failed to break into their first team. He parted ways with his childhood club in the summer of 2022 to join FC Basel. Following an impressive season at the Swiss club he returned to Italy to join Bologna last summer.
The 21-year-old has gone from strength to strength since returning to the Serie A. He has been a constant feature in their backline and his performances in the heart of the defence have attracted interest from some of the biggest clubs in the world.
Tottenham want Riccardo Calafiori
Tottenham are one of the clubs keen on his signature. Their manager Ange Postecoglou wants to reinforce his defence in the summer. While Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven have done a great job as first-choice centre-backs and they signed Radu Draguin in the winter, Spurs are still looking for more depth at the back.
They want adequate cover for their first-choice pairing and feel the Italian youth international could be an ideal fit. With the club back in Europe, they need enough depth to compete across competitions.
The North London club are well connected in the Italian transfer market thanks to Fabio Paratici who is still working behind the scenes. They have signed quite a few players from Italy in the recent past and are now looking to add another one.
Spurs to face competition from Juventus & Leverkusen
But, they will have to square up against Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen to acquire his services. With Gleison Bremer’s future uncertain, the Old Lady are looking at him as a potential replacement. Meanwhile, Leverkusen are all set to feature in the Champions League next season and they want to add more depth to their squad.
Juventus should also secure their place in the European competition. With both clubs providing him the opportunity to feature in UCL, the 21-year-old surely has a decision to make. They are looking at him as someone who can help them in the long run. His ability to feature as a centre-back as well as a left-back along with his huge potential is why they are keen on signing him.