Tottenham boss Antonio Conte ‘in talks’ for £8.5m bargain he can’t pass up on

Antonio Conte on Spurs' stomach bugs

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Tottenham boss Antonio Conte may not be able to resist another wing-back bargain despite already closing in on his second wide recruit of the summer transfer window. Spurs are reportedly in talks for AZ Alkmaar’s Owen Wijndal whose release clause could see him head to north London for just £8.5million. 

Spurs fans could be forgiven for thinking that their club’s wing-back transfer business is already done and dusted. Ivan Perisic has been brought in on a free transfer to sure up the left side, while a deal has reportedly been struck for Middlesbrough’s Djed Spence to provide more firepower on the right. 

Couple that with the options already at Conte’s disposal – namely Matt Doherty, Sergio Reguilon, Ryan Sessegnon and Emerson Royal – and it seems as though Spurs have more than enough bodies to head into the new season.

Not according to FootMercato, who claim that Spurs are engaged in talks with AZ Alkmaar over the signing of flying left-back Wijndal. 

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Despite the wealth of wing-back talent already at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, an alleged £8.5m release clause could render the deal too good to pass up on. Wijndal has been an AZ regular for the past three seasons and a Netherlands stalwart for the past two, notching 10 assists in the Eredivisie last campaign. 

At just 22-years-old, it is no wonder that top clubs are sniffing around at that price, and Spurs are not alone. The report adds that Lyon, Napoli and Juventus are among those to be keeping tabs on his situation as Wijndal approaches the final two years of his contract. 

As if it wasn’t inevitable already, Wijndal’s prospective arrival would mean that numerous wing-backs would have to be shipped out of Spurs at some point this summer. Conte rounded off the campaign with Emerson Royal and Sessegnon on either side, but it is realistic to expect that neither will start the first match of next season. As for those who were already peripheral, their time at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could be up. 

With the Lilywhites wasting no time in delivering on their promise of a squad overhaul, the club remain heavily linked to a host of other stars. Inter Milan are the common denominator in many rumours as Conte seeks to draw out the best talent from his former side, and he is reluctant to give up on one trio in particular. 

Alessandro Bastoni started the summer as the Italian’s priority defensive target, and despite his agent claiming that he will stay at the San Siro, Spurs are unwilling to give in. His teammate Milan Skriniar is supposedly held as a back-up option, however, if negotiations fail to get off the ground. 

Meanwhile, Tottenham are among a host of clubs interested in Lautaro Martinez. Depth up top is something Spurs have lacked in recent years, and top-class support – and also cover – for Harry Kane could allow them to be competitive on numerous fronts next term. 

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