Tottenham could replace Cristian Romero with Italian who has been injured 200 days in two seasons

Add as preferred source on Google

Tottenham Hotspur have now set their sights on a highly rated Italian centre-back amid reports of a potential defensive exodus in north London ahead of the summer window.

Given the latest transfer rumours involving Tottenham Hotspur defenders, it is only normal if fans of the Lilywhites are concerned about what their centre-back partnership might look like next season.

Spurs have indeed been poor this campaign, but there is hope of new boss Roberto De Zerbi salvaging their situation and keeping them in the Premier League, as they run the risk of relegation.

However, that will be far from the only task De Zerbi has, as he could well have to deal with a few players moving on regardless of Tottenham’s league status.

Tottenham target Giorgio Scalvini as Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven face transfer interest

Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven have been linked with moves away from Tottenham, with clubs across Europe keen on landing Spurs’ main back two.

Radu Dragusin could also move away from north London, with interest in the Romania international coming from both clubs in Europe and in the Middle East.

TeamTalk are now reporting that Tottenham are preparing to strengthen their backline ahead of next season, with the club said to have Italian star Giorgio Scalvini firmly on their radar as interest in the Atalanta defender intensifies.

It is explained that Spurs are now doing extensive background work on Scalvini, who is on their radar alongside Van Hecke, who is also highly rated by De Zerbi.

Tottenham are no strangers to recruiting defensive talent from Atalanta, having signed Romero from the Serie A side a couple of seasons ago. If Scalvini were to join and go on to enjoy a similar – or even better – career than the Argentine, he would surely prove to be a shrewd piece of business.

Spurs weigh Giorgio Scalvini move despite injury concerns

While the 22-year-old remains highly rated, his injury record in the past leaves a lot to be desired, only raising question marks over whether he will be an ideal fit for Spurs, who have struggled with injuries themselves.

This season, Scalvini has featured 17 times in Serie A but has still had to deal with his fair share of injuries, with the Italian having missed 69 days of action due to injuries of various kinds.

Last season, he spent even more time sidelined, a total of 142 days on the treatment table. The season before then was also worse, as he was out after picking up an ACL injury.

Given his injury record, one could expect matters to worsen in north London, where injuries have been a persistent issue. Spurs currently have nine players sidelined heading into the business end of the campaign.

Spurs, however, are not the only ones in the race for Scalvini, as they face competition from Newcastle United, who also have the Italian on their radar.

• READ MORE: Tottenham may price Guglielmo Vicario out of Inter Milan move amid £10m gulf