According to Tuttomercatoweb, Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Gaetano Castrovilli. The Fiorentina midfielder, who is also courted by Borussia Dortmund, has emerged as the latest target for the Lilywhites. However, convincing the Serie A outfit to sell the midfielder could be tough for Spurs, with the Italian club unwilling to part ways with him this summer.
Gaetano Castrovilli: Player profile
After returning from his loan spell at Cremonese last summer, Castrovilli has emerged as one of the rising stars in Serie A this season. He has been an ever-present figure in the Fiorentina midfield, having made 24 league appearances.
A central midfielder by trade, the Italian has built a solid midfield partnership alongside Erick Pulgar. While the latter is a defence-oriented midfielder, who has offered support to the backing, Castrovilli has impressed the onlookers with his dynamism and creativity.
In fact, the 23-year-old has attempted almost three tackles per game with an accuracy rate of 62%. However, what makes him such a sought-after player in Italian football is his ability to carry the ball across half-spaces. It is also backed up by the fact that the midfielder has completed an astonishing 76 successful dribbles – a tally only bettered by Jeremie Boga in the Serie A this season.
Moreover, Castrovilli has averaged over one key pass per game as well as 1.3 shots on goal and a pass completion rate of 80%. It comes as no surprise that he had even been called up to the Italian National team by Roberto Mancini in November of last year.
Is Castrovilli a good target for Tottenham?
Castrovilli should be an interesting option for Tottenham for multiple reasons. As iterated earlier, the Italian international is capable of operating as the ball-carrier, which is something the club have clearly lacked, following the departure of Mousa Dembele. It is also fair to point out that last summer’s marquee signing Tanguy Ndombele has failed to live up to the expectations.
Castrovilli, in that regard, will be able to add more depth into the midfield department for Spurs. He could create a formidable partnership alongside someone like Harry Winks. His aggression, combined with his technical prowess make him an ideal component to Jose Mourinho’s pragmatic style of play that emphasises transition play.
That being said, it is unlikely that Tottenham will be able to get their hands on Castrovilli this summer. The Fiorentina star still has a contract until 2024, with the club unwilling to sell the midfielder and given the ongoing economic crisis due to Covid-19, it may not be a good idea for Spurs to break the bank for Castrovilli at the moment.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
