{"id":611717,"date":"2022-04-07T16:18:52","date_gmt":"2022-04-07T20:18:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/?p=611717"},"modified":"2022-04-07T16:18:52","modified_gmt":"2022-04-07T20:18:52","slug":"tottenham-hotspur-centre-back-shortlist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2022\/04\/07\/tottenham-hotspur-centre-back-shortlist\/","title":{"rendered":"Tottenham Hotspur Centre-Back Shortlist Drawn Up"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tottenham Hotspur will prioritise signing a left-sided centre-back in the summer transfer window.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to The Athletic<\/a>, Spurs have a four-man shortlist and the club are willing to spend big in order to bring one of them in.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tottenham Hotspur Centre-Back Shortlist<\/h2>\n

Who is on it?<\/h3>\n

The men on Antonio Conte\u2019s wishlist are as follows: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan), Sven Botman (Lille) Nico Schlotterbeck (Freiburg) and Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tottenham\u2019s Transfer Targets, Who Are They?<\/h3>\n

Alessandro Bastoni<\/b><\/h3>\n

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\u2019s Champions League tie against Liverpool.<\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/a>, but due to the club’s financial issues, the defender could be sold for around \u00a335-\u00a350 million in the summer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sven Botman<\/b><\/h3>\n

Another 22-year-old, Botman has really impressed at Lille since joining the club in 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last year he played a key role in Lille\u2019s shock title win over PSG. Botman will aim to break into the Netherlands squad before the 2022 FIFA World Cup.<\/span><\/p>\n

AC Milan<\/a> are also big admirers of Botman, but if Spurs offer the right amount, it will be hard for Lille to turn them down.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nico Schlotterbeck<\/b><\/h3>\n

<\/b>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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

Spurs<\/a> would face competition from Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund though, who are reportedly interested in Schlotterbeck\u2019s signature.<\/span><\/p>\n

Josko Gvardiol<\/b><\/h3>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

The defender played against England<\/a> for Croatia during the European Championship, as well as helping Leipzig reach the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals this season.<\/span><\/p>\n

Valued at around \u00a320-25 million, Gvardiol could be a cheaper option for Spurs compared to some of the above names.<\/span><\/p>\n

Main Photo<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>