Tottenham Hotspur are in talks to sign Nikola Milenkovic with the Fiorentina defender ready to swap Serie A for life in London, as reported by Tuttomercatoweb.
Despite Fabio Paratici’s best efforts, Spurs’ backline actually looks weaker now than it did when a miserable 2020/21 campaign came to an end, Ryan Mason on the touchline and the Premier League giants limping to a distant seventh-place finish.
Negotiations with the likes of Milan Skriniar and Jules Kounde clattered into the buffers quicker than a runaway train with Nikita Mazepin at the controls.
And while Argentina international Cristian Romero has already agreed a five-year, £45,000-a-week deal at Tottenham, there are still plenty of compromises which must be reached if the 2021 Copa America winner is to become a Spurs player before their league opener against Manchester City on August 15.
Tuttomercatoweb claim that Atalanta are refusing to budge on their £51 million valuation of a man who was named the Serie A’s best defender in May’s end of season awards.
That, you will not be surprised to learn, is more than Daniel Levy is currently willing to pay.
Will Nikola Milenkovic join Tottenham if Cristian Romero fails?
The uncertainty surrounding Romero’s future, coupled with Toby Alderweireld’s imminent move to Qatar, means Paratici is no closer to finding a silver bullet miracle cure for Tottenham’s ills.
It’s not all bad though.
According to reports coming out of Italy, the 6ft 5ins man-mountain that is Milenkovic is ready to up sticks and head for London, talks between Tottenham and the Fiorentina defender progressing rather well.
TMW are at pains to point out, however, that Milenkovic is Tottenham’s second choice, the eternal bridesmaid with Romero still the object of Paratici’s affections.
With his contract expiring in 2022, however, Milenkovic does have the advantage of being far cheaper than his Serie A counterpart.
It is understood that the sturdy Serb, who has also been mentioned as an option for West Ham United, would cost ‘just’ £22 million.
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