Journalist wonders whether Spurs could reignite pursuit of 19-year-old defender

Alasdair Gold has posed whether Tottenham could rekindle their pursuit of Dynamo Kyiv centre-back Ilya Zabarnyi before the transfer window closes.

Reports over the last month have indicated that Japhet Tanganga is likely to follow Joe Rodon out the door at Spurs this summer (Football Insider), with Antonio Conte’s men thought to be on the lookout for another central defender (Evening Standard).

Over the last two weeks, Nikola Milenkovic had been mooted as a target for the North London club, with Conte alleged to be a big fan of the Serbian (Corriere Fiorentino via Sport Witness).

However, Tottenham’s pursuit of the 24-year-old seemingly ended on Wednesday when Fiorentina confirmed the defender had signed a new contract that runs until 2027.

Back in June, it was suggested that Zabarnyi was on Spurs’ radar thanks to the teenager’s breakthrough season at Dynamo Kyiv but the speculation linking the Premier League club with the Ukrainian international has died down since.

Gold has now remarked that Zabarnyi remains a player Tottenham like and posed whether Conte’s men could make a late move for the 19-year-old.

The journalist said on his YouTube channel: “It’s about opportunities. I’ve said before Zabarnyi, the Ukrainian centre-back, is someone they like. 

“Whether he’s someone they come back to if the window of opportunity is there for him. It’s so rocky what’s happening with Ukrainian football right now, he’s a Dynamo Kyiv player, there are attempts to get them playing again and I have no idea how that works.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Assuming Tanganga leaves before the transfer window closes and Sanchez stays, any centre-back we sign this summer is probably going to be the fifth or sixth choice. 

So, signing a young, up-and-coming defender like Zabarnyi might be the right way to go. Conversely, Conte might also decide to keep Tanganga at the club and reassess the situation in January.

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