Roma chief Tiago Pinto "flies to London" with Tottenham Hotspur and Atletico Madrid "above all" in the race for defender Roger Ibanez, according to reports out of Italy.
Who could join Tottenham this summer?
The arrival of new manager Ange Postecoglou has brought with it a wave of fresh transfer rumours as the Australian seeks to reshape the team in his own image.
Recent claims have suggested that the 57-year-old, despite not officially starting work until July 1, is already earmarking transfer targets behind-the-scenes at Hotspur Way.
Indeed, Postecoglou has apparently given the green-light for his side to sign a star centre-back this summer as Spurs begin undergoing a major overhaul, with Leicester City star James Maddison also of serious interest.
As well as this, long-serving number one goalkeeper Hugo Lloris could well depart north London by his own admission, meaning Spurs must source a capable replacement. Resultingly, it is believed Spurs are seriously pushing to sign Brentford's David Raya, with AC Milan star Mike Maignan also on their radar as an alternative.
Going back to the central defensive area, a cause of real concern for Spurs for the last season, Roma's star defender Ibanez has been linked with a move to N17 recently.
According to Italian publication Calciomercato, there has been a fairly promising update on their pursuit, with both Tottenham and Atletico "above all" in the race to sign Ibanez this summer.
The Brazilian is up for sale as Roma need to balance their books, and what's more, they're offering a discount and have to "slightly lower" their valuation for him. Once around £30m, it is now claimed Roma will offload for a fee around £21m-£24m.
In their headline, it's added that Roma chief Pinto "flies to London" as he aims to negotiate both a move for Gianluca Scamacca and the possible sale of Ibanez.
Who is Roger Ibanez?
Going by the numbers, Ibanez was one of Jose Mourinho's star defenders over the 2022/2023 Serie A campaign.
According to WhoScored, he ranked among their top four best-performers overall, whilst making more interceptions per 90 than any other Roma player. He also came second in their squad for successful tackles and clearances made.
The 24-year-old has also been tipped for stardom by former Roma fullback Vincent Candela who, despite being error-prone on occasion, can become "one of the world’s best defenders" (Corriere dello Sport via romapress.net).
Given Roma are now attempting to sell at a discounted price, it could be an interesting opportunity for Spurs to strengthen their defence.
