‘May be going’: Coach thinks reported Tottenham target could leave; Spurs bid £46m

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Tottenham Hotspur are interested in Milan Skriniar and the Inter Milan ace could leave Serie A before the transfer window shuts on Monday, his Slovakia coach Pavel Hapal has told Tuttomercatoweb.

If Toby Alderweireld and Eric Dier are feeling the pressure as Spurs look to bring in one of Europe’s finest defensive talents in the final five days of the market, it’s fair to say the Belgian and Englishman have responded in fine style.

Alderweireld and Dier, in particular, were pillars of steel as Tottenham knocked Chelsea out of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.

The highly rated Japhet Tanganga also played his first minutes since March during a proverbial ‘game of two halves’ in north London.

But, as Jose Mourinho has been at pains to point out, Tottenham’s fixture schedule borders on the sadistic. The Premier League giants are back in action on Thursday.

If a deal can be reached with Inter Milan, the arrival of Skriniar would represent a sizeable coup for a club looking to balance domestic and European exploits while ending a 13-year trophy drought.

“He told me his coach has talked little with him lately,” says Slovakia boss Hapal, hinting at a strained relationship between Skriniar and Inter coach Antonio Conte.

“He may be going away for a transfer, but he knows he is in the club’s plans.”

Gianluca di Marzio reports Tottenham have offered £46 million for Skriniar, who is open to the idea of playing under the legendary Mourinho.

Inter, however, want closer to £55 million.

The former Sampdoria ace fell out of favour under Conte in the final few weeks of 2019/20 and, if he hoped Diego Godin’s move to Cagliari would open a space in the final XI, it looks as though Skriniar will be disappointed.

He was left on the bench again during Saturday’s 4-3 win over Fiorentina, with Danilo D’Ambrosio preferred on the right of Conte’s back three.