Tottenham Hotspur target Walid Cheddira has now admitted it is a ‘dream’ to one day play in the Premier League. But the striker rejected any transfer offers to stay at Bari in January.
The 25-year-old has produced a prolific season in Serie B so far this term as I Galletti target promotion. Cheddira has fired Bari into contention for a top-flight berth with 15 goals over 21 appearances. He has also laid on six assists and hit five goals in three Coppa Italia ties.
Cheddira also took his skill to Qatar last winter to help Morocco reach the World Cup semi-finals. But the four-cap forward only featured twice and received a red card for two yellow card offences in the quarter-final. He even earned the two bookings during stoppage time.
Conte and Paratici agreed to pursue a transfer to Tottenham for Bari star Cheddira
Yet Cheddira producing such a prolific record with Bari saw Tottenham explore his transfer in January. Serie B News reported ahead of the mid-season market that Antonio Conte and managing director Fabio Paratici agreed to target a swoop alongside a raft of Serie A rivals.
Around half of the Italian top-flight also considered luring the striker away from the Apulia region club. Whilst Napoli have kept tabs on his progress in view of a move in the summer. Yet Spurs were intent on beating the Azzurri to the punch by sealing his switch in January.
Reports by Gianluca Di Marzio also cited Nottingham Forest as an option for Cheddira this January. But the forward did not want to leave Stadio San Nicola whilst I Galletti are in the race for promotion from Serie B. They now rank third in the standings through 28 matches.
Cheddira has now admitted his ‘dream’ is to play in the Premier League one day
Di Marzio also cited Sporting Lisbon as rivals for Napoli and Lazio and added that Bari only wanted €6-7m (£5.5-6m). But he showed no appetite to leave Stadio Na Nicola in the mid-season market. Calciomercato also listed Torino as another of the striker’s Serie A suitors.
Tottenham could yet have an advantage over Napoli if Spurs return to Bari for Cheddira in the summer transfer window. The forward has now admitted it is his ‘dream’ to play in the Premier League one day. He can also envision playing for any of the top teams in England.
“Different interests in January,” he told Sky Italy. “But I wanted to finish the season in Bari and then see at the end of the year. The Premier League and English football are a dream of mine – one day, I would like to play there. Where? I would be fine in any top club.”
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