Three players Tottenham could target in Serie A as Conte & Paratici team up
Conte and Paratici to create an Italian Tottenham
With an official announcement expected from Tottenham sometime today, Antonio Conte will be the new headmaster in charge at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after the club parted ways with under-fire and under-performing boss Nuno Espírito Santo.
Antonio Conte to Tottenham, confirmed and here we go. The contract until June 2023 will be signed on Tuesday. The verbal agreement is now completed. He’s back in the Premier League. ⚪️🇮🇹 #THFC
Fabio Paratici wanted him since June and changed Conte’s mind. Incredible work. #Conte pic.twitter.com/2TnHBwyq0A
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 1, 2021
The former Wolves manager lasted just ten Premier League matches in north London since his arrival in the summer, and the club struggled mightily on the pitch while being bereft of the type of football both the hierarchy and the fans demand as they look to push forward in their own project on and off the pitch.
With Conte soon at the helm, he will reunite with director of football Fabio Paratici for an initial 2-years until 2023 after the pair worked together at Serie A giants Juventus from 2011-14 during Conte’s rein in Turin that netted three Scudetto’s and a pair of Supercoppa Italiana.
According to Fabrizio Romano via his YouTube channel, the leadership pair will look to create an “Italian Tottenham” under their guidance.
🚨 JUST IN: @FabrizioRomano on Antonio Conte to #thfc: "Conte will decide together with Paratici about the new signings and the budget. So they are going to build a new Tottenham together. AN ITALIAN TOTTENHAM, with Conte and Paratici together."
— Daily Hotspur 🇮🇹 (@Daily_Hotspur) November 2, 2021
This was already somewhat underway this summer when Paratici and Espírito Santo first teamed up when Tottenham sealed deals for Atalanta Bergamo pair Cristian Romero and Pierluigi Gollini.
Spurs were also linked with other possible business for players plying their trade in the Italian top flight, and with Conte now primed to be in place with a transfer remit that suits the leadership pair, one name could once again be linked with Tottenham moving forward.
Rumors have already begun to swirl regarding who Conte’s top transfer targets will be once he officially is announced as manager as well as a possible transfer kitty of £150million for him to tap into.
With that in mind, here are three Serie A players that Tottenham could target under the Conte-Paratici regime.
Dušan Vlahović; ideal Harry Kane replacement
Having previously been linked with interest in the summer, Tottenham could now be in line to make an even bigger push for Fiorentina’s Serbian sensation Dušan Vlahović.
Vlahović has set the world alight in Firenze after hitting 21-goals in Serie A last season, propelling his name up the wanted list of some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
NAPLES, CAMPANIA, ITALY – 2020/01/18: Fiorentina’s Serbian forward Dusan Vlahovic celebrates after scoring a goal during the Italian Serie A football match SSC Napoli vs Fiorentina ACF.
Fiorentina won 2-0. (Photo by Salvatore Laporta/KONTROLAB/LightRocket via Getty Images)
His start to the current campaign has furthered his reputation as well, with the Belgrade-native having smashed 10-goals in just 12-appearances across leaguer and cup outings this term at the Artemio Franchi.
And with the future of Harry Kane perpetually in doubt, a move for Vlahović would make ideal sense as a perfect replacement for the England hitman should he depart the club in the near future.
Milan Škriniar; desperate defensive reinforcement
Antonio Conte was recently linked to claiming that he would be interested in bringing in a former Inter Milan defender whenever his next port of call was confirmed. Now that his destination is the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and a Spurs first-team that needs additional reinforcement in the heart of the defense, I Nerazzurri center-back stalwart Milan Škriniar fits the bill.
SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA – JUNE 14: Robert Lewandowski of Poland shoots whilst under pressure from Milan Skriniar of Slovakia during the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Group E match between Poland and Slovakia at the Saint Petersburg Stadium on June 14, 2021 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. (Photo by Kirill Kudryavtsev – Pool/Getty Images)
Škriniar recently earned his 100th win in Serie A in his 185th-appearance in the league and was linked with interest from Tottenham over the summer before shooting the club down.
But the Slovakian international has yet to sign a contract extension at the San Siro, and with a current deal that expires in 2023, there is scope to suggest that he could be tempted to team up with his former boss at Tottenham now that Conte is set to take the reigns.
Frank Kessié; targeting the heart of Tottenham
One of the standout performers for AC Milan this season and on the back of improved form akin to last season, Ivorian midfielder Frank Kessié could be one of a few prime targets for Conte and Paratici given his current contract situation.
AC Milan’s Ivorian midfielder Franck Kessie reacts after he fired the ball into the net but the goal was ruled out by VAR review during the UEFA Europa League round of 16 first leg football match between Manchester United and AC Milan at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on March 11, 2021. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
Kessié is out of terms at Milan after the current season and his departure from the fashion city is looking increasingly likely after the player has failed to come to the table to hash-out fresh terms with the I Rossoneri.
Tottenham could certainly do with his services in the heart of the midfield as well. There is no telling on how the likes of Tanguy Ndombele and Harry Winks will get on under Conte, or how he will utilize the likes of Oliver Skipp, but Kessié would be a considerable upgrade on a few offerings at the club currently, while he would offer a very credible partner for Pierre-Emile Højbjerg.
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