Premier League trio Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United have all contacted Atalanta president Antonio Percassi regarding a potential £25 million January deal for Ukraine international Ruslan Malinovskyi, according to Calciomercato.
It took Dejan Kulusevski just two minutes to remind Spurs supporters just what they were missing. Not that they needed it, of course.
The silky Swede collected a Matt Doherty pass on the edge of the Liverpool box, spun on a sixpence before instinctively threading an inch-perfect through ball into Harry Kane’s path.
Before Sunday’s valiant 2-1 defeat at the hands of Jurgen Klopp’s side, Tottenham had averaged 2.5 goals per game during the seven Premier League matches in which Kulusevski had featured this season. Without the Juventus loanee, that tally drops to 1.3.
And, as Antonio Conte was at pains to point out on Sunday evening, a Tottenham side who lack the resources and the squad depth of many a top-four rival simply cannot be expected to perform at the same level without their most creative player fit and firing.
The January window, then, feels like an opportunity Spurs cannot allow to pass them by. Not if they are to secure a Champions League place at the expense of, say, Liverpool, Chelsea or Manchester United.
Tottenham battle West Ham and Nottingham Forest for Ruslan Malinovskyi
An ‘extraordinary’ talent with 45 goals and 42 assists to his name over the last four seasons; Malinovskyi would certainly go a long way to easing the burden on Kulusevski’s sloping shoulders. He, like Spurs’ number 21, is a left-footed attacking midfielder who prefers to cut in from the right-hand side. He also boasts a fierce strike with his cannon of a left boot.
Per Calciomercato, Tottenham have already ‘made contact’ with Atalanta chief Antonio Percassi. As have West Ham, and a Nottingham Forest side who offered £12 million for Malinovskyi over the summer.
La Dea are unlikely to stand in the former Genk star’s way should someone meet their £25 million asking price. Malinovskyi has started just four Serie A games this season under Gian Piero Gasperini. And CM add that the enigmatic 29-year-old is growing increasingly frustrated about a lack of minutes in Bergamo.
Interestingly, Forest have already struck a deal with another talented playmaker ahead of the winter window. Gustavo Scarpa is arriving on a free transfer from Palmeiras. West Ham, meanwhile, are eyeing £26 million Brazilian wonderkid Eguinaldo.
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