If Tottenham Hotspur’s 4-1 trouncing of Southampton on Premier League’s opening weekend is anything to go by, Destiny Udogie will have a real fight on his hands when he finally arrives in North London during the summer of 2023.
Spurs have agreed a £20 million deal with Udinese for one of Serie A’s breakthrough stars (The Standard). Udogie, who was also a target for Manchester City, will return to the Stadio Fruili on loan before embarking upon a new adventure on English soil 12 months down the line.
But anyone assuming that the Italy U21 international will immediately command a starting berth at Tottenham will be doing Ryan Sessegnon one hell of a disservice. The former Fulham wonderkid – who joined Spurs for £30 million when he was still a teenager – has come on leaps and bounds under Conte the ‘Wing-back Whisperer’; Threatening to fulfil that boundless potential at last.
Sessegnon scored his first goal for the London giants against Southampton.
And while Ivan Perisic was restricted to just 24 minutes off the bench when the Saints came to town, there is clearly plenty of juice left in the 33-year-old’s tank. With Udogie on his way too, the left-wing back spot suddenly looks like a position of real strength at Tottenham.
Tottenham add Destiny Udogie to Antonio Conte’s ranks
By the time September 1st arrives, you could probably say the same of Nottingham Forest. Harry Toffolo and Omar Richards have already arrived, from Huddersfield Town and Bayern Munich respectively.
Forest are now hoping to add further depth to Steve Cooper’s play-off-winning squad, however.
Alex Moreno has rebuffed Forest’s advances. Cristiano Biraghi is another option. Per the Mail, the team from the City Ground are now turning theri attention to Villarreal’s Colombian international Pervis Estupinan; A name that should be familiar to Spurs supporters.
Castellon-based publication El Periodico reported earlier in the summer that Conte was keen to work with the one-time Watford man; Athletic, attack-minded and blessed with searing speed. That is, before Spurs turned their attention to the younger Udogie.
Obviously, with Udogie joining Perisic and Sessegnon, that particular door has closed as far as the £15 million-rated Estupinan is concerned. Four high-class left-wing-backs, for obvious reasons, is one too many. Transfer overkill. The very definition of ‘superfluous’.
So if Estupinan does return to England this summer – a point to prove after that Watford spell – the smart money should now be on Nottingham Forest rather than Tottenham Hotspur.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
