According to La Stampa, as cited by The Sun, Tottenham Hotspur have had a £45 million bid for Paulo Dybala rejected by Juventus. The Argentine international is reportedly keen on leaving the club this summer. As a result, Spurs have made him their latest prime target. However, Juventus’ hefty £80 million price tag would serve as a massive blow for Mauricio Pochettino.
Tottenham’s situation in the offensive department
Tottenham Hotspur enjoyed a productive campaign last season despite seeing their star striker Harry Kane remain on the sidelines for a chunk of the season. They have released backup striker Fernando Llorente this summer. And should Pochettino fail to sign a number nine, it is expected that he will utilise either Lucas Moura or Heung Min-Son in a more central role this season.
That means Spurs will need wide-attackers. But, Christian Eriksen, who can feature in the left-midfield role, is keen to leave North London. As for Erik Lamela, his struggles with injuries have already been well documented. Hence, the addition of a new attacker could be imperative as the Lilywhites look to compete with the big guns in the upcoming season.
Dybala’s versatility could be useful
A product of the Instituto youth academy, Dybala is a versatile attacker. He can cover several areas in the final third, and this versatility could aid Pochettino, especially given how he likes to rotate his squad week in week out.
The 25-year-old is a secondary striker by trade, which means he can be used as a false nine in the potential absence of Kane. Alternatively, he can also be deployed in a double pivoted attack alongside someone like Son or Lucas.
Moreover, Dybala’s ability to operate in the central and wide attacking role could even make him a direct replacement for Eriksen. He has exquisite control over the ball and is gifted with sublime vision, which would enable him to become the club’s creator-in-chief in the event of the Dane’s potential departure from North London this summer.
Should Spurs come up with an improved offer?
As mentioned earlier, Dybala is a viable target for Tottenham Hotspur. And tabling an improved bid for the Argentine might not be a bad idea given how much he could offer to the table for the Lilywhites.
However, they should definitely try to lower Juventus’ ludicrous £80 million demands for a player who endured a difficult campaign in the Serie A last term. But one thing is for sure – Pochettino will need to drop his pursuit of Giovani Lo Celso if he is to land Dybala this summer.
