Tottenham Hotspur are entering the January transfer window in a desperate situation, with owner Daniel Levy urgently needing to open his chequebook to turn around their fortunes.
Ange Postecoglou’s side currently sit in 12th place in the Premier League table, already 12 points off a top-four place, failing to win any of the last four outings as a result of the ongoing injury crisis.
Such issues have led to first-team members having to operate in unfamiliar roles, undoubtedly contributing to the lack of form and subsequent lowly league standing.
However, the club have already completed a deal for goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky from Slavia Prague, looking to provide quality between the sticks after Fraser Forster’s unsuccessful stint in trying to fill the void left by the injured Guglielmo Vicario.
More signings are still needed in various areas of the pitch, with efforts being made in recent days to try and bolster Postecoglou’s current midfield department.
Spurs make enquiry to land £42m talent
According to TEAMtalk, Spurs have made an enquiry to land Inter Milan midfielder Davide Frattesi in January, as the club aim to add depth to the first-team squad.
However, the Lilywhites aren’t alone in their pursuit of the Italian, with Newcastle United and Manchester United also monitoring the progress of the 25-year-old during the ongoing window.
Frattesi has found minutes hard to come by during 2024/25, starting just four times and featuring for a total of just 585 minutes in Serie A, with Simone Inzaghi’s side currently sitting in third place.
Despite his lack of minutes, Inter don’t want to part ways with the star but could be open to selling him should they receive an offer in the region of €50m (£42m), with no cash-plus-player deals expected to be accepted.
It would be another huge transfer should Spurs win the race for his signature, but he would provide a huge upgrade on one player who currently plies his trade in North London.
Why Frattesi would be an upgrade on Bentancur for Spurs
Midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been a key member of Postecoglou’s side in recent times, that is when he’s been available after serving various suspensions in the last few months.
The Uruguayan was hit with a seven-game ban by the FA for using a racial slur, before picking up a suspension for the defeat against Newcastle on Saturday after collecting his fifth yellow card of the campaign.
However, he’s often been the club’s most impressive option at the heart of the side when called upon, often featuring alongside Dejan Kulusevski in the middle of the park during 2024/25.
Such a partnership could be broken up once again come the end of the month should any deal be reached for the services of Frattesi, with the Italian providing an upgrade on the 27-year-old based upon their respective figures from the ongoing season.
Games played
14
12
Minutes played
594
688
Goals & assists
4
2
Shots taken
2
1.7
Progressive carries
1.8
0.9
Through balls played
0.6
0.1
Take-on success
67%
38%
The Inter star, who’s previously been dubbed as “one of the best midfielders in Serie A” by journalist Fabrizio Romano, has registered more progressive carries per 90 along with more through balls providing that added attacking threat in the middle of Ange’s side.
Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr have often provided the defensive solidity in the department, opening the door to another box-to-box option in the form of Frattesi.
The Italian has also completed more take-ons than Bentancur, whilst notching more shots per 90 – showcasing the talent he could provide on transition for Postecoglou’s side should he move.
The £42m fee touted for his services would be yet another huge investment, but it’s one the club desperately need if they are to stop the current rot they find themselves in.
Frattesi would provide serious quality, with his ability to feature for a title-challenging side undoubtedly a huge bonus to help them finally end their near two-decade wait for a trophy of any form.
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