Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keen on Lazio’s Keita Balde Diao.
According to Italian newspaper Il Tempo, Lazio owner Claudio Lotito has accepted that star forward Keita Balde Diao won’t be staying with the club, having rejected the chance to sign a new contract.
Balde, 22, was born in Spain and came up through the ranks with Barcelona before leaving for Lazio in 2011, where he has developed into a key first-team player at the Stadio Olimpico.
Lazio’s Keita Balde Diao
The wide man, who represents Senegal at international level, has now made almost 150 appearances for Lazio, and enjoyed his best campaign to date with 16 goals in all competitions – more goals than his previous three season combined.
Balde has now become one of the most in-demand wingers in Europe, and The Mirror reported today that Tottenham Hotspur are renewing their interest in signing him as Mauricio Pochettino looks to boost his attacking options.
Now, Italian newspaper Il Tempo report that Balde has decided that he doesn’t want to renew his contract with Lazio, and club owner Claudio Lotito has accepted that he will be leaving before the end of the summer transfer window.
However, Lazio want between €25million and €30million (£22.6million and £27million) for Balde, and Serie A rivals Juventus have only offered €20million (£18million), meaning Tottenham still have time to sign him – and must make a big move for him this summer.
Keita Balde Diao
Balde’s blistering pace and superb goalscoring record last season showed that he can be a real force at the very top of the game, whilst his versatility would also be vital to Mauricio Pochettino, given that he played out wide and up front last season, and could mirror Son Heung-min’s role with Spurs, offering a dangerous goalscoring option across the front line.
At just 22, Balde still has room to grow and develop under Pochettino, and beating a European giant like Juventus to sign one of Italian football’s top talents would prove Tottenham right for being patient in the transfer market and waiting for a star like Balde to become available.
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