According to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma have moved ahead of Tottenham Hotspur in the race for Southampton centre-back Jannik Vestergaard this summer.
Vestergaard, who followed up an impressive season for Southampton with solid displays for Denmark at the European Championships, has just 12 months left to run on his contract at St Mary’s.
It was first reported back in March that the 28-year-old was being eyed by Tottenham and The Athletic revealed two weeks ago that the Dane continues to be one of the centre-backs on Fabio Paratici’s radar.
However, Crook has now revealed that Jose Mourinho is trying to beat his former club to Vestergaard and take the defender to the Italian capital.
The journalist stated that the relationship between Tottenham and Southampton was damaged during the North London club’s acquisition of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg last summer, and that the Serie A club thus have the edge in the race for Vestergaard.
Crook said on talkSPORT (10/07/21 from 13:00 onwards): “He’s (Vestergaard) into his last year at Southampton, lots of clubs in for him. Tottenham amongst those.
“My understanding is that Southampton aren’t particularly keen to do business with them. Their relationship with Spurs is strained after the Hojbjerg transfer last summer.
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“But Jose Mourinho very much in front of the queue for Jannik Vestergaard and I believe that’s a move the big centre-back wants to make.”
Spurs Web Opinion
Vestergaard has come on leaps and bounds as a defender over the last 12 months and I was left extremely impressed with the composure and maturity he showed at the Euros.
The Southampton man is intelligent enough in his positioning and reading of the game to not get exposed for his lack of pace.
Unlike many Spurs fans, I would prefer much prefer we sign the 28-year-old over his international teammate Joachim Andersen.
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