Regardless of whether or not Tottenham Hotspur finish in the Premier League ’s top four this season and achieve UEFA Champions League football, Antonio Conte is planning a rebuild of his side as they look to compete for trophies next season.
The Italian is especially keen to shake up his midfield options this summer and the club have been linked with a move for Juventus playmaker Paulo Dybala, who is out of contract at the end of the season.
But according to reports, the Argentina international has agreed to join Inter Milan at the end of the season and was keen to stay in Italy, yet Conte is said to already have another target in mind as his transfer plans take a turn.
Dybala has been convinced to join Inter Milan, as reported by Gazzetta dello Sport, after being told that he would be a 'central' part of Simone Inzaghi's team. Inter are currently two points behind AC Milan as they battle for the title with three games to go, while they are six points ahead of Dybala’s current team, Juventus.
The report claims that the 28-year-old was also keen to stay in Italy and had no interest in joining a league abroad, which crushed any hopes held by Spurs boss Antonio Conte in signing the player. Dybala is set to sign a four-year-deal, worth £5million-per-year in the Italian capital, as he looks for a new beginning.
Dybala has been one of the brightest talents in Europe in recent years and since signing for the Old Lady in 2016 from fellow Serie A side Palermo, he has scored 114 goals in 289 appearances for the club. But after failing to agree on a new deal, the Argentinian will leave on a free in the summer.
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It marks a big loss for Conte and Spurs, who wouldn’t have had to pay a single penny in transfer fees for the sought-after attacking midfielder, with his high wages the only thing to negotiate on, but according to the Express, the Lilywhites could be prepared to launch a bid for West Ham United’s Tomas Soucek instead.
Conte is a big fan of the Czech Republic international, but so are Juventus, who seem to have the same idea as Spurs in poaching the midfielder as a replacement for the outgoing Dybala. The Hammers have told the Turin side that Soucek will cost them £40m, and Tottenham are closely monitoring the situation.
The 27-year-old is a more defensive player than Dybala and certainly isn’t a like-for-like replacement, but he has heavily impressed since arriving in east London in 2020 and is more than capable of finding the back of the net, following 10 goals in 38 appearances last season.
Tottenham’s manager is desperate to continue his rebuild of the club’s midfield and Soucek is the latest name who could be added to those options in the centre of the park this summer. The Czech still has two years left on his current contract but is in talks to extend that and wants an improved deal on his current £50,000-a-week wage.
Despite only six goals to his name this season, Soucek remains an important part of David Moyes’ side and has played a big part in their current Europa League run to the semi-finals, but should Spurs achieve a top four finish this season, Champions League football may be hard for him to turn down.
The 27-year-old has proved his worth in the Premier League and would be a welcome addition to Conte’s side, who is sure to be watching West Ham’s Europa League semi-final second leg with eager eyes on Thursday night. After missing out on Dybala, Spurs will be keen to not let Juventus sign his replacement ahead of them, so a proposed bid may well be on.
