Just a matter of few more days and the winter transfer window will slam shut. With still time for clubs to make last-ditch attempts to secure their transfer targets, Tottenham Hotspur are now linked with a move for Napoli midfielder Amadou Diawara.
The Londoners are preparing an audacious bid of €38million in order to sign the 20-year-old, report the Calcio Napoli 24. At just 20 years of age, Diawara has racked up considerable experience already, playing 18 games this season and 5 in the Champions League, scoring just once.
Diawara is regarded as one of the hottest young European prospects and is tied down to Napoli until 2021. The Guinean is not a regular starter for the Serie A side but manager Maurizio Sarri is not keen on selling the player midway through the season.
Diawara dished out some eye-catching performances at Bologna following a 2015 switch from San Marino and he lasted just one season there before being snapped up by Napoli in the summer of 2016. The defensive midfielder was born in Guinea but he’s been playing football in Italy since 2014 and is in the process of receiving Italian citizenship.
Diawara, who has attracted interest from Spurs, takes inspiration from Manchester City’s Ivory Coast midfield beast Yaya Toure, admitting that Yaya was the current player he most respected.
“I really like Yaya Toure, for his peace of mind and game vision. I have often watched his games, to understand how he moves and what he does,” Diawara told UEFA’s website.
Spurs have rarely done business under Mauricio Pochettino and that has proven to be the case again this time around, with no new arrivals for the club as we enter the final few days of the transfer window.
Not to forget, Mousa Dembele has struggled to be his own self and has looked like a shadow of himself this season. Hampered by injuries and poor form, the Belgian, who has entered his 30’s, is finding it difficult to cope with the high intensity of the Premier League lately.
Diawara looks to be the perfect fit to take Dembele’s place at Tottenham. The Guinean has shown that he can play in a similar box-to-box role as the Spurs midfielder, which Poch might have taken a note of, subsequently acting to bring the hotshot to North London.
Wouldn’t have a chance to get him, even if there was a late bid. Napoli aren’t selling anyone in January with their team actually challenging for trophies.