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.
Why Tottenham are considered frontrunners
Fabio Paratici brought the Swedish international over from Atalanta to Juventus in 2020 and Kulusevski still appreciates being cajoled by one of the world’s elite sides. That personal connection separates Tottenham from Arsenal and any other would-be suitors.
We’ve also got one of the world’s best managers steering the ship, so convincing the young Swede to commit to Spurs should be as easy as conquering a 10-man Palace. And I’m not referring to Buckingham.
Though he’s not a left-sided centre back, a right-sided wingback or a out-and-out forward, Tottenham’s most urgent transfer requirements, so it all depends on whether Paratici and Antonio Conte want to commit to promising young talent whose far from the finished article.
Please excuse the abhorrent photoshopped Gunners shirt Kulusevski’s wearing in the highlight package above. It was the best highlight package available. Had their been another viable choice, trust me, I would have taken it.
And I thought warm, spoiled cream was the only thing that turned my stomach so quickly.
What do you think about the prospect of bringing Kulusevski to north London?