According to Italian newspaper Il Messaggero, Tottenham Hotspur have failed with a €25million (£23million) bid for Roma defender Roger Ibanez.
It’s claimed that Spurs have made a first move for Ibanez, viewing him as an alternative target to Inter Milan’s Milan Skriniar.
The price tag for Skriniar has been prohibitive for Spurs so far, and they may now view Ibanez as a cheaper alternative to the Slovakian.
However, their move has failed, in a situation that may be a little complicated given that Ibanez isn’t technically a Roma player yet.
In January, Roma announced the signing of Atalanta defender Ibanez on loan until the summer of 2021, which can be turned permanent for €8million (£7.3million).
There may be a way for Roma to turn the deal permanent earlier than planned and sell him on for a immediate profit, but more than tripling their money isn’t enough to tempt them.
Ibanez, 21, joined Atalanta from Fluminense in 2019, and made just two appearances for the club before being snapped up by Roma, where he showed real promise.
The Brazilian – who can also play for Uruguay – stands at 6ft 2in tall, and looks to be a top talent for the future, but Spurs will have to come up with a better offer if they want to lure him to North London.
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