Tottenham consider Leeds star ‘ready’ for De Zerbi’s signing and star exit
Tottenham are reportedly considering the Leeds United star as ‘ready’ for new manager Roberto De Zerbi after having a long-term interest in signing him.
Spurs have identified De Zerbi as the Italian is already making recruitment plans
De Zerbi has yet to have time to shake things up at Hotspur Way, but Tottenham’s reported summer plans are already in full swing.
Hours after his appointment was confirmed, claims from Italy suggested that Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli is one of the front-runners for De Zerbi – a player he worked with at Sassuolo and named in early meetings with the club’s management as a top priority for next season.
It is reported that goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is also on his way to Inter Milan, and Bart Verbruggen of Brighton has emerged as a player who is closely watched by De Zerbi between the sticks.
Spurs have also entered the race for Fulham’s 69-time Welsh midfielder Harry Wilson, with Liverpool and Manchester United also monitoring his status.
It’s a remarkable feat for a club that hasn’t registered a league win since December and faces an uphill battle for survival in the top flight.
De Zerbi wants Tottenham to sign ‘true leader’ who rejected Arsenal after Spurs meeting
The Italian is reported to have identified a target after recruitment talks.
But the logic is clear: the summer rebuild cannot wait, and De Zerbi – backed by a five-year contract and one of the biggest managerial salaries in the Premier League – is wasting no time in shaping his vision.
Most importantly, everything depends on achieving first what should be the most important thing: avoiding setbacks.
Nowhere is a rebuild more clearly needed than in central defence, and a report from TEAMtalk adds some meaningful context to Spurs’ search for reinforcements at the back.
Tottenham have identified Pascal Struijk as an option ‘made’ by De Zerbi
Leeds’ Pascal Struijk has emerged as a target for Tottenham, with the north London club viewing the Dutchman as a reliable, ‘ready-made’ option who could quickly bolster De Zerbi’s options.
The backdrop to that interest is the increasingly inevitable departure of team captain Cristian Romero, with TT saying he is ‘going to be out of there’.
The future of this player who won the World Cup for Spurs is in the open even though he signed a contract last August.
Fabrizio Romano has publicly stated that Romero has a “big chance” of leaving in the summer, and Atlético Madrid’s star striker – Diego Simeone has already publicly praised the defender in the run-up to their Champions League campaign.
Romero’s comments did little to quell the speculation. When pressed about his future following the second leg at Spurs, his answer was a straightforward “we’ll see later.”
Ben Jacobs reports that there is “significant potential” for a parting of ways even if Tottenham retain their Premier League status.
The 27-year-old’s disciplinary record – two red cards and ten yellow cards in the league this season alone – combined with his recurring fitness problems has accelerated his thinking.
In that space, Struijk represents an attractive solution.
The Ajax graduate has been one of Leeds’ most consistent performers this season, combining composure on the ball with a proven left-footed distribution that lends itself naturally to De Zerbi’s possession-focused system.
He can operate in a back four or as a left-back in a central back three – flexibility which, given Spurs’ injury-riddled season, is invaluable.
Leeds value Struijk in the £35-40m bracket, but with one year to go they may struggle to hold that line if the right bid arrives.
For Leeds, losing Struijk would be a blow in any case. Initial contract negotiations have taken place and manager Daniel Farke is determined to retain his defensive core.
The player himself is stable and not pushing for a move, but the uncertainty of separation clouds everything, and when Leeds return to the Championship in August, the equation changes for everyone.
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The current concern for De Zerbi…
