Fabio Paratici is a big fan of Sassuolo defender Mert Muldur but Tottenham Hotspur now face a challenge from Premier League rivals West Ham United for the talented Turkey international, as reported by the Daily Mail.
You could count one one hand the members of Senol Gunes’ squad who can look back on their Euro 2020 campaign with a degree of personal pride.
But Muldur was one of the few, a rare shining light for a ‘dark horse’ galloping all the way to the glue factory.
The versatile 22-year-old stood out a mile in an unfamiliar left-back role as the rest of his Turkey teammates exited the tournament with a whimper.
And, like fellow Sassuolo duo Manuel Locatelli and Domenico Berardi, Muldur is unlikely to be short of offers as clubs across the continent get ready to step up their transfer plans once the curtain falls on a thrilling Euro 2020.
Is Muldur heading to Tottenham or West Ham?
Muldur’s agent admitted a few weeks ago that Tottenham had shown an interest in his coveted client, adding the Austria-born youngster was keen to take “the next step” in his career.
And, according to the Mail, Spurs’ new director of football is driving the club’s interest in a player who presumably caught Paratici’s eye during his final few months in the Juventus boardroom.
A club now coached by Nuno Espirito Santo will face competition from West Ham, however – and that should come as no surprise. It seems whenever a defender is linked with a move to Spurs, from Nikola Milenkovic to Takehiro Tomiyasu, West Ham aren’t usually far behind.
Whether the Hammers really are interested – or whether this is merely an attempt to drive up interest on behalf of the selling club – is anyone’s guess.
Fortunately, Tottenham are unlikely to face competition from arch rivals Arsenal. The Gunners are keen on Muldur too, according to The Athletic, but are pressing ahead with a deal for Benfica’s Nuno Tavares instead.
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