Inter Milan are in the hunt to sign Tottenham centre-back Jan Vertonghen, according to Calcio Mercato.
The Italian news outlet claims that Inter’s sporting director Piero Ausilio jetted into London on Tuesday to watch Spurs’ Champions League semi-final against Ajax, with Vertonghen one of the players that he is interested in signing at the San Siro.
Vertonghen’s contract at Tottenham will expire at the end of next season after the North London club took the decision to extend the 32-year-old’s deal for an extra year in December 2018.
Good move for Tottenham?
Spurs have a few players who are entering the final years of their contracts and even though Vertonghen is now 32-years-old and is perhaps nearing the end of his peak playing days, he is someone that the club needs to keep hold of.
The Belgium international has spent the last seven years playing for Tottenham and if Spurs are going to have their defence ripped apart in the summer transfer window, they are going to need to keep experienced players like the ex-Ajax ace around.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side faces a bit of a transition period, and players like Vertonghen will help that transition go a lot smoother.
Inter Milan may well come knocking for the centre-back, but Spurs should rebuff any advances because keeping him for one more season could be a key.
This is Futbol rating 3/10
Likely to happen?
Vertonghen does not seem like someone who will be trying to leave Tottenham in the summer transfer window and although Inter Milan are a big club in Italy, they are not a club that can turn heads like they used to.
If it was Juventus or Real Madrid or Bayern Munich then Vertonghen may ask to move on.
However the San Siro is not what it used to be and Spurs should have no issue with hanging onto their veteran centre-back.
This is Futbol rating 2/10