Conte back in for Nuno target: Spurs hold 'discussions' over player with 'enormous potential'

Tottenham Hotspur are considering a potential swap deal involving Pau Torres and Giovani Lo Celso. 

That’s according to Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor, who was speaking to GiveMeSport.

Spurs are known admirers of Spanish centre-back Torres, having tried to sign him last summer. He ‘turned them down‘ on that occasion but might now see Spurs as a ‘more attractive destination’ after they returned to the Champions League, with Alasdair Gold naming him as one of four LCB targets recently.

The 25-year-old ‘ticks all the boxes‘ for Antonio Conte.

Other players thought to be on their shortlist include Alessandro Bastoni of Inter Milan, RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol and Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.

Lo Celso spent the second half of the 2021/22 season on loan with The Yellow Submarine, featuring in every La Liga game and starting 11 times.

Taylor revealed that ‘initial’ talks had been held between the two clubs about the possibility of a mutually beneficial exchange.

“Torres has been the subject of initial swap-deal discussions with Villarreal because obviously, they want to sign Lo Celso on a permanent basis,” he said.

Spurs clearly carry more appeal now than they did 12 months ago.

They had finished down in seventh place in 2020/21 and took until the start of July to appoint Nuno Espirito Santo as their permanent manager following the sacking of Jose Mourinho in April.

Now they have Conte, a five-time league title winner, in charge, and they’re targeting a Premier League title bid.

Would this deal be a straight swap? Well, Transfermarkt value Torres at £45million, much higher than Lo Celso (£19.8million).

You would expect Villarreal, then, to demand plenty of cash in addition to the midfielder.

They know that Torres,