Three Premier League clubs, Spurs, Everton and Leicester City, reportedly want Ligue 1’s ‘new N’Golo Kante’ – Baptiste Santamaria of Angers.
Reported Tottenham Hotspur and Everton target Baptiste Santamaria has admitted to Telefoot that he plans to leave Ligue 1 outfit Angers this summer.
A late-blooming 25-year-old might not be one of the most glamourous midfielders in France’s top flight but, for the last 18 months or so, he has been one of the most impressive.
There is a reason why Santamaria has been labelled ‘the new N’Golo Kante’ – and the statistics bear that out. Few players in the top flight cover more ground per game than the Angers talisman, or complete as many tackles (3.3 every 90 minutes).
The Express is now reporting that Leicester City are planning to replicate the inspired piece of business that brought Kante to the King Power Stadium with Santamaria in their sights. Tottenham and Everton are interested too.
And you’d imagine that three Premier League clubs will be very keen to learn that Santamaria is planning to take a step up the ladder whenever the summer transfer window arrives.
“It’s time to continue my progress in a new challenge. It is the logical continuation of the things,” says a man who joined Angers in 2016 from Tours.
“Playing for a top European club? I prepare for it every day. Inevitably, I have this ambition and this desire to continue my progress like that. We’ll see how it goes, but I really want to (test myself at a higher level).”
It remains to be seen how much Angers will demand for Santamaria thought it is likely to take an eight-figure sum. Aston Villa saw a £9 million offer rejected in January, according to ABC Sevilla.
And considering how vulnerable the relegation-threatened Villa have looked in the last two months, conceding the most goals in the Premier League, they really could have done with bringing the ‘new N’Golo Kante’ to the Midlands when they had the chance.
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