Tottenham frontrunners in pursuit of versatile winger
By Gary Pearson
![ALLIANZ STADIUM, TURIN, ITALY - 2021/12/05: Dejan Kulusevski of Juventus FC looks on during the Serie A football match between Juventus FC and Genoa CFC. Juventus FC won 2-0 over Genoa CFC. (Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images) ALLIANZ STADIUM, TURIN, ITALY - 2021/12/05: Dejan Kulusevski of Juventus FC looks on during the Serie A football match between Juventus FC and Genoa CFC. Juventus FC won 2-0 over Genoa CFC. (Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/b5c52a99eaad5c3bae4a989de476f446f6391a9c3be2c6321969dee9a1b79c7a.jpg)
According to La Gazzetta Dello Sport, Tottenham are frontrunners in the pursuit of Juventus’ attacking midfielder Dejan Kulusevski.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Not because of the extra time spent with family, the abnormally accelerated rate at which chocolate is engulfed or the increased consumption of a favourite wine, beer or spirit, but because silly season, transfer season, is almost upon us.
A season that traditionally brings equal amounts of hope, speculation and disappointment starts with the former.
Multiple sources see Tottenham as the would-be suitor for Juventus’ 21-year-old Kulusevski, who has struggled this season to consistently infiltrate the Old Lady’s first 11. With 16 appearances, he has only played the full 90 minutes in three Serie A matches. He is yet to score this season, adding just three helpers.
Scoring four and setting up three in 37 appearances, Kulusevski’s numbers were better last season. Numbers don’t always tell a conclusive tale. Kulusevski sprung onto the Italian scene in 2019-2020, winning the Serie A Young Player of the Year Award for his venerated contribution while on loan at Parma, where he amassed 10 goals and eight assists in relatively short succession, about 32 matches.
Kulusevski is highly touted for his versatility, deceptive speed and imperious physical stature. He’s a towering 6′10″, can play on either wing, prefers employing the No.10 role 90 (though he hasn’t played there much) and also has the capability to play as the lone No. 9.
Heaven forbid anything else happens to Harry Kane, but we all know there’s a possibility he’ll, at one point or another, re-injure his susceptible ankle or, even worse, fly the coop.
Aside from those doom’s day scenarios, I’m sure England’s captain wouldn’t mind a rest every so often. Though he shouldn’t need one considering Antonio Conte‘s plan of morphing the lads into tireless machines.
The other thing Kulusevski has going for him is his comparatively affordable price tag. The cost to land his services, about £30 million, isn’t nearly as prohibitive as the almost £70 million it will take to buy Dušan Vlahović.