Tottenham eyeing surprise summer move for £35m former Celtic star De Zerbi
Tottenham Hotspur are now plotting a summer move for the “amazing” player, with manager Roberto De Zerbi keen on him.
Tottenham are eyeing a summer signing after losing out to Chelsea
Just one point at Stamford Bridge would have effectively ensured Tottenham’s safety, as a draw would have moved them three points clear of West Ham United, and they have a superior goal difference to their London rivals.
However, Spurs fell short in a 2-1 defeat against Chelsea, on a night when Joao Palhinha drew criticism from Jamie Carragher after fouling Josh Acheampong on the 31st minute mark.
The Sky Sports pundit said: “A man with his knowledge makes a mistake when he is completely irrational. One of the most annoying things in football is, a guy goes nowhere and just talks bad.”
Palhinha has been one of De Zerbi’s key players, starting the last three Premier League games, but it is unclear whether the Portuguese will stay in north London after the end of the campaign, as it has been revealed that he is willing to take a pay cut to leave.
Should the former Fulham man leave, De Zerbi will need to bring in a new option in the middle of the park this summer, and the Premier League star has now emerged as a target.
Tottenham are entering the race to sign an “incredible” midfielder.
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Tottenham are now eyeing a surprise move for Matt O’Riley, with De Zerbi believed to be a big fan of the Brighton midfielder, worth around £35m, although there could be competition from Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid.
Spurs have been discussing a move for the Irishman in recruitment meetings, and there are encouraging signs that a deal is possible, with Brighton saying they are open to an exit for the right price.
Celtic will benefit from a huge sell-on clause if the deal goes through, with the Danes receiving huge praise from former manager Brendan Rodgers at the end of the 2023-24 season.
“He’s been amazing in his combination of things. I think if we were missing something as a team, maybe that was it.
“But from each person’s point of view, the return of his goal… I think someone said he scored his first goal [of last season] in January of last year.
“So looking at his numbers now, it’s a big testament to him because the work he’s doing, his focus every day on training to improve and get better, that’s obviously been rewarded by his teammates and everyone else. He deserves it.”
The 25-year-old has scored 27 goals and provided 35 assists in 124 games for Celtic, but has failed to prove himself at Brighton, having been sent to Marseille earlier this season, raising doubts over whether Tottenham should pursue a move.
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