Tottenham Hotspur will prioritise signing a left-sided centre-back in the summer transfer window.
According to The Athletic, Spurs have a four-man shortlist and the club are willing to spend big in order to bring one of them in.
Tottenham Hotspur Centre-Back Shortlist
Who is on it?
The men on Antonio Conte’s wishlist are as follows: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan), Sven Botman (Lille) Nico Schlotterbeck (Freiburg) and Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig).
Tottenham’s Transfer Targets, Who Are They?
Alessandro Bastoni
Bastoni is currently one of the highest-rated defensive talents in Europe. The 22-year-old is a key player at Inter Milan and will be a mainstay in the Italian national team once Giorgio Chiellini retires. He is very comfortable in possession and impressed in Inter’s Champions League tie against Liverpool.
Conte has experience with Bastoni as he was a part of his title-winning Inter team last season. Inter would aim to build their future around Bastoni, but due to the club’s financial issues, the defender could be sold for around £35-£50 million in the summer.
Sven Botman
Another 22-year-old, Botman has really impressed at Lille since joining the club in 2020.
Botman got his football education at Ajax but never made a first-team appearance for the club. The Dutchman moved to SC Heerenveen and after a brief but impressive spell, he made the move to Ligue 1.
Last year he played a key role in Lille’s shock title win over PSG. Botman will aim to break into the Netherlands squad before the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
AC Milan are also big admirers of Botman, but if Spurs offer the right amount, it will be hard for Lille to turn them down.
Nico Schlotterbeck
Schlotterbeck has really begun to excel this season. Another 22-year-old, the German has been a rock at the back for Freiburg, who are currently flying high in the Bundesliga this season.
The defender also made his debut for the German national team in the latest international break. Tottenham may pursue him as he already plays in a back three system and would not take long to adapt.
Spurs would face competition from Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund though, who are reportedly interested in Schlotterbeck’s signature.
Josko Gvardiol
The final man on the list is Gvardiol. Currently playing for RB Leipzig, the 20-year-old has managed to gain lots of experience despite his age.
The defender played against England for Croatia during the European Championship, as well as helping Leipzig reach the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals this season.
Valued at around £20-25 million, Gvardiol could be a cheaper option for Spurs compared to some of the above names.
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