Tottenham Hotspur are leading the race for the signature of Slovakian center-back Milan Skriniar, according to reports in Italian publication Tuttosport.
The 25-year-old Inter Milan star has been one of the top defenders in Serie A ever since making a move to the San Siro from Sampdoria in the summer of 2017. He has consistently featured for the Nerazzurri, making 41 appearances so far this season.
The report in Tuttosport states that Spurs have intensified talks with the Slovakian. Inter are reportedly keen on cashing-in on the defender, so they can raise money for their own transfers.
They would also be willing to explore a player swap deal which would see Tanguy Ndombele move from North London to Milan.
The Mirror is further reporting that Skriniar has attracted strong interest from two more Premier League sides, Liverpool and Manchester United, as the central defender has fallen out of favor with current Inter boss Antonio Conte. Liverpool are looking to replace Dejan Lovren, who has joined Russian side Zenit while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is looking at this center-back target as an upgrade over incumbant Victor Lindelof.
Tottenham might be willing to use Ndombele as a makeweight in the deal, as it will be hard for them to spend as much as £58 million in straight cash on only one specific player, given the financial hardships brought on the clubs due to the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Skriniar would be an excellent addition to the Tottenham defense which drastically needs some overhauling, especially in the wake of Jan Vertonghen’s departure. Jose Mourinho is one manager who will be able to get the best out of his defenders and might cherish having Skriniar at his disposal.
His best attributes are tackling and aggression which are two qualities that will serve him well in England. Given the fact that Mourinho has often strongly criticized Ndombele in the past, the Spurs might prefer to look at a swap deal instead.
If this arrangement can be brokered, it will leave Tottenham with enough funds for other signings that can help improve the team. Skriniar has the potential to become Spurs’ defensive rock for many years to come so it will be interesting to see how this deal pans out.