Antonio Conte will be hoping that Fabio Paratici can produce some more magic in the transfer market this summer as he looks to take Tottenham to the next level. Desperately needing to bring a couple of fresh faces in during the head coach's first transfer window in charge of Spurs, the managing director of football returned to his former club Juventus to sign two players.
Rodrigo Bentancur, who was linked with a January switch to Aston Villa, arrived in a move worth £21.5million and penned a four-and-a-half year contract in N17, with Dejan Kulusevski arriving on an 18-month loan agreement. The deal for the Swede does contain a £29million obligation to buy if certain criteria are met, but Spurs can move early to sign him for £25million this summer and save some money in the process.
Demonstrating so far at Tottenham that he does like to move for players on loan with either an option or obligation to buy, Paratici's time at Juventus also highlighted that he is fond of a free transfer. Andrea Pirlo, Paul Pogba, Kingsley Coman, Dani Alves, Aaron Ramsey and Adrien Rabiot were just some of the players signed on frees during Paratici's time with the Bianconeri.
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The 49-year-old could be set to repeat the transfer trick this summer as football.london understands that Spurs are currently the favourites to tie up a deal for West Brom goalkeeper Sam Johnstone when his contract with the Baggies expires at the end of June. The England international is one of a select group of goalkeepers Tottenham are looking at to provide back-up to Hugo Lloris, which in turn suggests that Pierluigi Gollini's loan move from Atalanta will not be made permanent.
The Italian has made ten appearances in all competitions for Tottenham this season, although he has yet to appear in the Premier League with Lloris an ever-present in 2021/22. Gollini's Spurs loan deal does contain an option to buy, which is thought to be around £13million.
Gollini hasn't exactly looked convincing between the sticks when he has played for Tottenham nor looked like he could overtake Lloris and become the long-term No.1, whereas a deal for Johnstone would see Spurs bring in a shot-stopper with Premier League experience and one who could maybe take on the gloves from the Frenchman in years to come. The fact Johnstone would also arrive on a free transfer would subsequently mean that the money they may have used for Gollini if they wanted to sign him permanently can now be used elsewhere to improve the squad.
Paratici and the club could instead use the funds to convert Kulusevski's loan deal into a permanent one, while Cristian Romero's loan move also needs to be made permanent. The deal for the defender last August was a season-long deal with an option - not obligation - to buy for £42.5million.
football.london reported at the time that all parties expect the deal to go through in the summer of 2022 hence why a five-year contract has already been agreed between Romero and the north London outfit. The bonus of potentially signing Johnstone on a free transfer means that Spurs don't have to go out and spend huge amounts to find cover for Lloris, instead now having the opportunity of putting the money towards the Kulusevski and Romero deals.
Paratici has demonstrated in the past that he does know how to pull off a transfer coup or two following a number of shrewd signings at Juventus. Tottenham fans may be about to witness the Italian at his very best this summer, with Johnstone a key arrival in shaping Conte's squad for 2022/23.
