Although Tottenham Hotspur are no longer at any risk of losing star center back Cristian Romero this summer with Atletico Madrid all but pulling out of the transfer race after seeing their lowball offers rebuffed by Spurs, that doesn't mean Spurs should stop showing interest in promising young center backs.
It's a position where depth has been more coveted by the elite teams in European football, and Real Madrid are a great recent example of how having poor center back depth can derail even the most talented of squads.
Tottenham have two of the best center backs in the world as a pairing between Micky van de Ven and Romero, who showed the full gamut of their skills as a partnership in a clean sheet win over Manchester United in the Europa League Final. Behind them, Kevin Danso is waiting for his breakout moment in the Premier League after being an elite Ligue 1 central defender, and former Serie A star Radu Dragusin could still be a factor.
Tottenham love to look at Serie A defenders
But Tottenham aren't done with looking at potential starting-caliber center backs to spell either Romero or Van de Ven if the dreaded injury bug were to start again, and their search has mostly focused on Serie A candidates, including Jhon Lucumi and Koni De Winter in the past.
Now, though, Tottenham are being linked to a much more exciting name out of Italy in Atalanta star Giorgio Scalvini, who has gone forgotten by many after a cruciate ligament tear and a severe shoulder injury in back-to-back seasons. Per journalist Ben Jacobs of Give Me Sport in an appearance on the Last Word on Spurs YouTube show, Tottenham have discussed the possibility of signing Scalvini.
It's early in the stage of the Scalvini to Tottenham transfer rumor, but this is a move that Spurs should indeed consider approaching. Atalanta don't sell players on the cheap, but they are reasonable in their asking prices. Scalvini has little interest around Europe compared to his talent and pedigree as a top young Serie A center back, so this could be a chance for Spurs to take a flier and buy low before the Italian international bounces back.
Just 21 years old despite averaging more interceptions per game than tackles per game in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons as an established star in the league, Scalvini has the traits Tottenham look for in center backs - he is athletic, comfortable on and off the ball, and already elite at reading the game.