Tottenham ready to offer first-team star as bait in bid to snap up £40m midfield dynamo
Tottenham are reportedly willing to a first-team star in part-exchange in their bid to bring in an impressive Inter Milan midfielder this summer.
Ange Postecoglou is ready to undergo a summer revamp of his squad, with midfield a particular area that needs addressing after the Australian failed to find the right overall balance last season.
A mix of Yves Bissouma, Pape Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg tended to combine this season, with Oliver Skipp occasionally thrown in when fit.
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However, Hojbjerg will be on his way this summer, while there are even rumours that Tottenham could try and cash in on Bissouma after failing to get the best out of the former Brighton man.
The likes of Conor Gallagher and Morgan Gibbs-White have been tipped to fill the role of a box-to-box No.8 in north London, but now reports from Italy claim that Postecoglou is keen on Inter star Davide Frattesi.
Frattesi has had a mixed season at Inter since his move from Sassuolo last summer, chipping in with eight goals and adding five assists. However, he’s largely been used as an impact substitute and only started six Serie A games.
And it’s suggested that the Italy international could be back on the market this summer, with Spurs plotting to get the player on board.
What’s more, Postecoglou is willing to use a defensive star in part-exchange to add Frattesi to his ranks.
InterLive claims that right-back Emerson Royal could be used as bait to strike a deal for the 24-year-old Italian.
Brazilian Emerson is already being heavily linked with Inter’s rival AC Milan, with talks already said to have taken place over a potential deal.
Emerson played just 22 league games this season, starting only 11 of those, largely as cover in different positions.
A Tottenham injury crisis meant the right-back played seven times as a left-back, as well as five games playing as a central defender during the absence of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven.
Tottenham bundling Emesron into Frattesi deal
The report adds that Tottenham will table an offer of €30m (£25.5m) plus Emerson for Frattesi in the coming weeks.
The north London club are said to value Emerson at around €15m-€18m (£12.7m-£15.3m), bringing the total cost of the proposed deal for Frattesi to around €48m (£40.8m).
Emerson is now second fiddle to the outstanding Pedro Porro in Postecoglou’s first XI and the fact that Spurs are still looking to add defensive recruits is telling when it comes to the Brazilian’s overall future at the club.
If Frattesi is brought in, that likely means that Tottenham have been priced out of a move for both Gallagher and Gibbs-White.
The Italian could also be one of two midfielders brought in this summer, with Postecoglou also looking at defensive option after his side conceded 61 goals in 38 league games this season.
Atalanta ace Ederson remains a top target in that regard, although the Brazilian has also emerged as a major target for both Liverpool and Manchester United.