Tottenham Hotspur are yet to make any major moves in the transfer market this summer as Mauricio Pochettino seems happy to wait until the end of the World Cup. They do have a transfer wish list for this transfer window and one player who has been a part of that list for a while now is Brazilian star Malcom.
The 21-year old was close to joining Spurs in January but a deal fell through at that time. But it was reported that Pochettino’s side have retained their interest in the player this summer as well. However, it now looks like they could miss out on his signature with reports claiming that Italian giants Inter Milan have put in a bid to sign him on a loan deal, with an option to buy next summer.
It will be a huge blow for Spurs, who will now need to look elsewhere. Here are three such players they can target in place of Malcom this summer:
Federico Chiesa (Fiorentina):
The 20-year old Italian is one of the most exciting youngsters on display in Serie A at the moment and has continuously been linked with an exit from last summer. Spurs had an interest in him in January but did not make an official approach but with Malcom possibly no longer an option, Chiesa might be a decent bet for Pochettino. He is rated at £53m and maybe a tad expensive but he ticks all the boxes in Pochettino’s recruitment model and is a player they should definitely target this summer.
Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace):
The English winger has been one of the best players for the Eagles for over a year now. He failed to prove himself at Old Trafford as a youngster but has certainly shown enough quality to play for the best teams in the country.
He is a player who has been on the club’s radar for quite a while now and Pochettino should make a definitive move for him as he is a player that will certainly add some quality to the first team at White Hart Lane.
Gelson Martins:
The Portuguese international, who has been impressive for Liga NOS giants Sporting CP, has also been a transfer target for the club for a while now. However, the unrest caused by the altercations with fans late last season has seen the 23-year old terminate his contract in Lisbon. He is now a free agent and continues to be on Spurs’ radar and could be a more than able alternative for Malcom.
