Tottenham Hotspur are now weighing up an offer for a defender, who plays for one of their bitter rivals, amid doubts over Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero’s futures, according to a report.
Interest in Van de Ven and Romero growing
As we approach the summer transfer window, it is looking increasingly likely Tottenham could lose at least one of their centre-backs this summer, with Romero attracting widespread attention, and a Premier League club are now in the race for the Argentine.
Earlier this month, it was revealed Aston Villa were ready to offer a five-year contract to the defender, with chairman Daniel Levy open to selling him for the right price, amid interest from European heavyweights Real Madrid.
Romero is not the only Spurs defender in Madrid's sights, however, with the Spanish side also looking at Van de Ven, who could "stand out" as a better option than Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite, according to former scout Mick Brown.
As such, Ange Postecoglou's side may have to bring in a replacement at the end of the season, and a report from Football Insider has now revealed they have a new target in mind, namely Chelsea defender Renato Veiga.
Veiga could be available for just £30m this summer, and Spurs are weighing up a bid for the 21-year-old as a potential replacement for Romero, who is deemed the most likely centre-back to exit N17 this summer.
The Blues are looking to make a quick profit on the 21-year-old, who they signed for just £12m, but there are doubts over whether they would consider selling him to their bitter rivals, which poses a problem for Tottenham.
Not only that, but the Lilywhites may not be willing to shell out £30m for a player who has only featured sporadically for both Chelsea and loan club Juventus this season.
"Hidden gem" Veiga becoming key player for Juventus
The 6'3 defender was described as a "hidden gem" by Ben Mattinson during his time with FC Basel, with the scout also highlighting his ability to play at left-back and central midfield, which could make him a versatile option for Postecoglou.
Not only that, but after a tough start to the campaign with Chelsea, the starlet has now established himself as an important player for Juventus in the Serie A, starting the last four games, while he has also amassed four caps for national side Portugal.
Not only that, but the Portugal international is clearly a strong tackler and able to drive the ball forward from defence, given his performance on some key metrics over the past year, when compared to other centre-backs.
It is unfortunate that Chelsea may be unwilling to sell Veiga to Tottenham this summer, as he is now starting to show signs he could go on to be a top centre-back.