Tottenham have targeted Ruslan Malinovskyi but the Atalanta playmaker has finally been won over by a potential move to Marseille.
Fabio Paratici is a master of the Italian market and it’s no shock that he has shopped there many times since becoming Tottenham’s director of football.
Pierluigi Gollini, Cristian Romero, Rodrigo Bentancur, Dejan Kulusevski and Ivan Perisic have all joined from Serie A clubs since Paratici’s arrival.
Another Serie A star has been linked of late in Ruslan Malinovskyi, but the latest he gets to Tottenham may come in the Champions League…
Tottenham have targeted Ruslan Malinovskyi
Tottenham do lack a number 10 in Antonio Conte’s squad, and whilst his 3-4-2-1 system doesn’t use a nominal playmaker, a creative option off the bench could be ideal.
Hakim Ziyech and Lucas Paqueta have been linked of late but Tutto Atalanta suggested last week that Tottenham were closing in on Malinovskyi.
It was suggested that there was some haggling going on, with Tottenham preferring a loan-to-buy deal and Atalanta wanting to sell now.
The rumours took a turn in recent days though, with Corriere Bergamo reporting that Marseille made a move but then cancelled talks because Malinovskyi only wanted Tottenham.
There’s another twist now though, with Foot Mercato claiming that Malinovskyi has now been convinced to join Marseille.
Talks between Atalanta and Marseille are still complicated but that’s one hurdle cleared for Pablo Longoria.
It’s noted that Malinovskyi would still prefer to join Tottenham, but he’s at least interested in moving to France.
What’s interesting now is that Marseille have been drawn into Tottenham’s Champions League group, meaning Malinovskyi could end up facing Spurs in a Marseille shirt.
Of course, that could end up being Malinovskyi facing Marseille in a Tottenham shirt, but we would suggest that a move to Ligue 1 is now more likely.
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