Earlier this year, it was said that Arsenal and Tottenham were monitoring Zeki Celik ahead of a potential move to the Premier League.
The 25-year-old has won many admirers as a result of his performances for Lille, who he helped beat Paris Saint-Germain to the Ligue 1 title in 2021.
Now, Celik has earned a big move away from France, but he isn’t heading to north London.
What’s the story?
Well, the Turkey international has decided to join José Mourinho at Roma in a deal worth €7m (£6m), meaning Tottenham have lost out on a target to the man they sacked in 2021.
Interestingly, Fabrizio Romano claims that the Portuguese coach even wanted Celik during his days in N17.
Therefore, Mourinho has got his hands on a personal long-term target, which he is surely delighted about.
Celik’s move to Rome on a contract until June 2026 comes after he made 40 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring three goals while also providing three assists from right-back.
Arsenal & Tottenham must move on
After missing out on Celik, Mikel Arteta and Antonio Conte must now explore other options.
We’re not exactly sure what the Gunners are planning to do, although by the sounds of it, Tottenham have already done the groundwork on an alternative.
It has been said that Middlesbrough right-back Djed Spence is heading to Spurs, and the deal could even be announced sometime this week – according to some sources.
Furthermore, it has even been stated that Chris Wilder is keen for Tottenham to hurry up and sign the 21-year-old, so he can reinvest the money into some signings of his own.
Interestingly, Spence was also a target for Arsenal, which will make this deal even sweeter for Tottenham fans.
So, it seems Spurs have an alternative to Celik, but only time will tell who Arsenal choose to pursue instead.
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