Tottenham swoop for Riccardo Calafiori as Fabio Paratici news emerges – sources
Tottenham are keeping tabs on Bologna central defender Riccardo Calafiori, sources have told Football Insider.
Calafiori is also wanted by Italian giants Juventus and Napoli following his impressive performances in Serie A this season.
Tottenham have been compiling a dossier on the Italian U-21 international as they ponder a potential move for him this summer.
Spurs transfer consultant Fabio Paratici, who is their former managing director of football but is currently serving a ban, has been getting excellent feedback from his contacts in Italy about the centre-back, who can also play at left-back.
The 21-year-old only signed for Bologna in August last year, with his contract set to run until June 2027.
Tottenham could move to sign Riccardo Calafiori
Tottenham have seen Serie A as an ideal avenue to bring in potential first-team players for a reasonable price over the past few years.
Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, Radu Dragusin, Destiny Udogie, Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski have all been drafted in from Italy in recent times.
It’s clearly a market Spurs are constantly keeping an eye on, with Calafiori the latest player to be catching their eye.
The centre-back has helped fourth-placed Bologna record the third-best defensive record in Serie A this season, meaning Thiago Motta’s side could be playing Champions League football next year.
Calafiori has averaged 1.4 tackles and 1.6 interceptions during his 27 league appearances this campaign, while his pass success rate is up at 90 per cent and he’s completed 61 per cent of his dribbles, showing he’s more than capable on the ball.
That would certainly fit in with the way Ange Postecoglou likes his Spurs team to play given that his defenders must be comfortable in possession.
The Australian will be hoping the lure of the Premier League could be enough to persuade the Italian into making the move to North London, with Champions League football currently looking unlikely for his side next season.
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