Tottenham Hotspur are close to a deal to sign Udinese left-back Destiny Udogie.
The highly regarded 19-year-old is expected to cost around £21million, with the Serie A club asking him to take him back on loan for the season.
Udogie has been tipped for a call-up to Italy’s seniors next month, having already played for the Under-21s, and would be Tottenham’s seventh signing this summer.
Sources in Italy have suggested an agreement has been reached and the transfer is nearing completion.
When he arrives, he will follow Ivan Perisic, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Djed Spence, Clement Lenglet and Fraser Forster as Spurs back manager Antonio Conte.
While Spurs have told Sergio Reguilon he can leave this summer and hope to take the Spaniard further, the arrival of Perisic means the 33-year-old Croat will be the first choice as a left-back. The club also have Ryan Sessegnon meaning they may be willing to allow Udogie to return to Udinese, where he made his breakthrough in the last campaign after coming over from Hellas Verona.
In 35 league appearances last season, Udogie scored five goals and provided three assists and is regarded as one of the most exciting young talents in Italian football. Spurs reasons that if he signs it now, even if it means borrowing it back, he will secure a star of the future for a reasonable fee.
The Spurs kick off their season at home in Southampton on Saturday – when they are without the suspended Richarlison and Bissouma no doubt has a hamstring problem – with a growing sense of excitement that they may be competing for silverware this season and challenge Manchester City and defend Liverpool’s dominance at the top of the table. top of the Premier League.
Signing Udogie may not be the end of Spurs’ spending links to Roma midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo. Conte dropped Reguilon, Giovani Lo Celso, Tanguy Ndombele and Harry Winks from his squad at the start of the season.
