"Incredibly deadly", "Robben-esque": Paratici plotting Spurs swoop for £36m-rated ace - verdict

According to several reports from various Italian publications (via Sport Witness), Tottenham Hotspur are one of a number of clubs plotting a move to sign Paulo Dybala this summer – with the forward having failed to agree a contract extension with Juventus, meaning he will become available on a free transfer at the end of the current campaign.

Indeed, Gazzetta dello Sport claim that Fabio Paratici’s position at Spurs gives the Premier League side an immediate advantage over the rest of the competition for the Argentina international’s signature, as the managing director was the man to sign the £36m-rated Dybala for Juventus back in 2015.

Meanwhile, Corriere dello Sport suggest that Antonio Conte’s role as the Tottenham coach will only intensify the north London side’s interest in a move for the 28-year-old, as the Italian is said to be a huge fan of the £222k-per-week attacker.

However, with Spurs having recently committed £37.5m to the signing of Dejan Kulusevski – a player who has highly impressed since his January switch to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – does Conte really need a player in the mould of Dybala this summer? Our writers give their verdicts below…

“Unless Daniel Levy is planning for a very busy and expensive summer, Dybala really shouldn’t be high on his list of priorities. Where exactly does he fit into Tottenham’s current 3-4-3 formation? Will his £222k-per-week wages be worth it? Who drops to the bench in his place? It’s a huge risk – unless Antonio Conte is planning for a tactical re-shuffle. 

“Fabio Paratici needs to look at the problem areas in the squad first – such as at full-back and in the heart of the Spurs defence – before he looks to make a marquee signing up-top. However, perhaps he is