Spurs: De Zerbi ‘names’ Juventus star as potential first signing as £17m man says ‘yes’ to transfer | OneFootball

According to reports, Roberto De Zerbi has ‘named’ his preferred first signing at Tottenham Hotspur, while one player looks set to leave.

On Tuesday night, Spurs confirmed the appointment of new head coach Roberto De Zerbi, who has penned a five-year contract with the Premier League giants.

After his arrival was confirmed, De Zerbi revealed a couple of reasons why he decided to join Spurs. He said: “I am delighted to be joining this fantastic football club, which is one of the biggest and most prestigious in the world.

“In all my discussions with the Club’s leadership, their ambition for the future has been clear – to build a team capable of reaching great achievements, and to do that playing a style of football that excites and inspires our supporters. I am here because I believe in that ambition and have signed a long-term contract to give everything to deliver it.

“Our short-term priority is to climb the Premier League table, which will be the complete focus until the final whistle of the last game of the season. I’m looking forward to getting out on the training pitch and working with these players to achieve that.”

In the short-term, De Zerbi has been tasked with guiding Spurs to Premier League safety and his new side are in serious danger. They are only one point clear of the bottom three with seven games remaining.

Therefore, De Zerbi has far more pressing concerns than transfers at the moment, but a report from Italian outlet Calciomercato claims he is ‘fishing’ for Juventus star Manuel Locatelli and has ‘named’ the midfielder as a player he wants.

De Zerbi and Locatelli previously worked together at Italian outfit Sassuolo, while the 28-year-old has made 222 appearances for Juventus over the past five seasons.

Locatelli, who is under contract until 2028, has made 39 appearances for Juventus this season, and the report claims Spurs will look to sign him if they avoid relegation to the Championship.

Regardless of whether Spurs survive this season, there will inevitably be exits as part of a major squad overhaul in the summer.

Guglielmo Vicario is expected to be on the move, with L’Interista claiming he has said ‘yes’ to joining Inter Milan in a potential £17m (20 million euros) deal.

The report adds: