Tottenham Hotspur are preparing for a defensive reshuffle this summer as key players continue to be linked with moves away from the club.
Micky van de Ven is considering his future amid relegation fears, while Cristian Romero has been linked with a transfer to Atletico Madrid.
And to put it bluntly, Kevin Danso and Radu Dragusin aren’t the kind of players to potentially lead a backline, which is a clear sign that Tottenham are in desperate need of a quality central defender.
Over the years, Italian football has produced some of the best centre-halves in the game and it looks like they’ve done it again.
Atalanta’s Honest Ahanor has turned heads with his performances this season, with a handful of clubs across the world – including Tottenham – in the running for his signature.
However, the North London outfit will have to fend off interest from a familiar face in Antonio Conte, among others, to sign the gifted 17-year-old.
Tottenham ‘closely monitoring’ Honest Ahanor
The young central defender has quickly become an indispensable asset for the club as he continues to impress at the heart of the Atalanta backline alongside Giorgio Scalvini, who is also a supremely talented defender in his own right.
Tuttosport report that Manchester United, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Brighton, alongside Tottenham, are ‘closely monitoring’ the player, who joined the club from Genoa for a fee believed to be in the region of £17m.
When a player comes through the ranks in Italy, it’s not uncommon to see fellow Serie A clubs develop an interest, which is the case with Antonio Conte and Napoli.
The report states that Ahanor has ‘already impressed’ the former Tottenham manager and Napoli Sporting Director Giovanni Manna as he finds himself on the club’s transfer shortlist.
Ahanor idolises Paolo Maldini
Paolo Maldini needs no introduction, with the Italian hailed as one of the greatest central defenders in football history.
An excerpt from the Italian Football Podcast confirms that Ahanor idolises Maldini, which is hardly a surprise, as he is usually hailed as the gold standard in Italy.
Carlo Garganese and Nima Tavallae, who are the hosts of the podcast, went on to compare Ahanor’s skillset to David Alaba, who has featured as a central defender and at left back over the course of his decorated career so far.
The 17-year-old is wanted by several clubs across the planet, so the North London outfit have their work cut out for them in the race to secure his signature.
Tottenham have also been linked with a move for Marcos Senesi, whose current deal at Bournemouth expires at the end of the season.
However, much like Ahanor, Senesi has garnered interest from European giants such as Barcelona and Juventus, making him one of the most coveted free transfers of the upcoming summer transfer window.
