Serie A outfit Salernitana have confirmed their interest in £15 million Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pape Matar Sarr despite his increasing importance to the Premier League giants, via Tuttomercatoweb.
17 months after arriving from Metz, Senegal international Sarr finally made his full debut for the London giants; a rare bright spark in an otherwise forgettable 1-0 FA Cup third round victory over League One Portsmouth.
Sarr completed the most tackles of anyone on the pitch (five) as well as making the most touches. 90 per cent of his passes, meanwhile, hit the target (WhoScored).
Albeit up against rather limited opposition, the statistics paint the picture of a complete midfield performance from a man who’s wide-ranging skillset caught the eye of Europe’s biggest clubs before his £15 million move to Tottenham a year-and-a-half ago.
20-year-old Sarr has now featured in each of Spurs’ last three games. And, with his importance to Antonio Conte rising by the week, a January exit feels distinctly unlikely at this stage, unless Tottenham bring in midfield reinforcements of their own.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Pape Matar Sarr is a target for Serie A outfit Salernitana
“He has the characteristics we’re looking for,” admits Salernitana’s sporting director Morgan de Sanctis. “We will be oriented towards loans and, if the opportunity arises, we will evaluate.
“It is clear that one can think of buying a player, but he must be 100 per cent within the our logic. (We are prioritising players who are) young, with perspective, ready to make a contribution and at the right cost.
“We need players like Sarr from Tottenham,” De Sanctis adds (Alfredo Pedulla). “He the characteristics we want in that position.”
Sarr, who was praised by Tottenham talisman Harry Kane ahead of Senegal’s World Cup round-of-16 defeat to England at the Qatar World Cup, has benefitted greatly from Rodrigo Bentancur’s ongoing injury issues in recent weeks, finally establishing himself as a key part of the first-team picture.
“A good answer from Sarr,” Conte told Football London; the youngster impressing off the bench during the 4-0 midweek trouncing of Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
“I hope, in these 10 days, to have all of the players available. I’m talking about Richarlison, Bentancur, (Dejan) Kulusevski and also (Yves) Bissouma today was out. But, today (Oliver) Skipp and Sarr showed they they are really reliable players for me. I’m really happy.
“Now, they stay with us, in the squad. I don’t want to send these young players on loan because the league is very difficult. We have to play Champions League, we have to play FA Cup. I think these young players can stay here to help us face these three competitions.”
Salernitana, then, appear to be barking up the wrong tree.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
