Bologna have chosen an interesting time to sign a centre-back after news broke that former Italy U21 international Kevin Bonifazi had joined the Serie A outfit in a £5 million deal from SPAL.
Is it merely a coincidence this happened just days after Tottenham Hotspur opened talks to sign another central defender, one Bonifazi may now be expected to replace at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara (Sky)?
According to Calciomercato, Spurs submitted their first bid for the £17 million-rated Takehiro Tomiyasu earlier this week.
It is understood this most versatile of footballers – he can play at centre-half, right-back and in defensive midfield with minimal fuss – would welcome the chance to join one of the Premier League’s bonafide big-hitters too.
Will Tomiyasu leave Bologna for Tottenham now?
Tottenham are confident a deal will be done before long, according to The Sun.
And Bologna, deep down, know they will be powerless to prevent Tomiyasu from seizing an opportunity that doesn’t come around every day.
Is Bonifazi a direct replacement for the all-action Japan international?
Well, we’d hate to jump the gun but if signing a new centre-half isn’t an acceptance Tomiyasu has at least one foot out the door, then we don’t know what is.
“Unfortunately, in this period (with covid), even important clubs have to sell,” former captain Marcello Castellini told Corriere di Bologna, via TMW.
“But the sale of Tomiyasu would cause big headaches. Bologna would lose one of their best players, someone who has grown a lot.
“It would be a very big loss, hard to replace from a technical point of view.”
The pressure is on, then, for Bonifazi.
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