According to Calciomercato, Tottenham Hotspur are keen to use Toby Alderweireld as a sweetener to prise away Nicolo Zaniolo from AS Roma. The Belgian international is believed to keen on leaving the club this summer and reportedly has a €28 million release clause. However, the Giallorossi have deemed that figure as too expensive.
As a result, Tottenham are now ready to offer Alderweireld plus €40 million to land Zaniolo. Respected Italian journalist has already claimed that the Italian international has said ‘yes’ to Spurs and will be willing to move to North London this summer. But, should the Lilywhites go through with this swap deal? Here are the pros and cons of a potential move.
Pros
On the bright side for Tottenham, Alderweireld’s departure from the club will allow Juan Foyth to play a more prominent role in the first-team next season. The Argentine defender showed tremendous potential last season and has also starred for La Albiceleste in the recently concluded Copa America.
Foyth potentially has the talent to succeed the ageing Alderweireld, and the 21-year-old will be able to provide the youthful exuberance to the side – making Spurs much more vigilant in defence.
As for Zaniolo, he will be a welcome addition in the Tottenham midfield, which has already been boosted by the arrival of record signing Tanguy Ndombele. Zaniolo is more of an attacking midfielder and could be considered as a direct replacement for Christian Eriksen. The Dane has been linked with a move away from North London this summer.
The Italian international is an excellent ball-carrier and can also be deployed in central midfield. And this will serve as a huge boon for Mauricio Pochettino and his heavy rotation policy. Furthermore, Zaniolo can offer energy into the Spurs midfield, and at the age of just 21, he could be a smart long-term investment for the Lilywhites.
Cons
Even though Alderweireld is nearing the final phase of his career, his vast experience at the highest level of football could be beneficial for Spurs, who are set to undergo a massive transition next season. And the Belgian, in that regard, would help instil more stability into the side.
Zaniolo, on the other hand, might be a risky option for Tottenham given his lack of experience. The recently concluded 2018/19 season was the only professional campaign of his career so far, and this could be problematic in his bid to integrate himself into the fast-paced nature of the Premier League.
Furthermore, offering €40 million plus Aldereweireld would escalate Zaniolo’s price-tag to almost €70 million, which is a bold move by Pochettino given Spurs’ prude nature in terms of transfer market dealings. Hence, it will be interesting to see how this deal pans out for Spurs.
