Tottenham now set to target £50m ‘real star’ as news emerges on ‘top summer priority’

Tottenham Hotspur correspondent for The Athletic Jack Pitt-Brooke has revealed that the club are eyeing a move for RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol. 

As Spurs boss Antonio Conte prepares for a first summer transfer window at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it would appear that the Italian is desperate to strengthen the defensive ranks in north London.

With a Premier League top-four finish and subsequent UEFA Champions League qualification still a possibility, the calibre of players Tottenham will be able to attract could enhance.

One player who fits into the highest billing has already now been linked…

Writing in his latest piece for The Athletic, Lilywhites correspondent Pitt-Brooke has claimed that Conte has already lined up a move for talented Croatian international Gvardiol.

The report claims that a list of four left-side central defenders is ‘headed up’ by the 20-year-old, with Lille’s Sven Botman, Inter Milan star Alessandro Bastoni and SC Freiburg youngster Nico Schlotterbeck also named.

Taking to Twitter when citing the article, Pitt-Brooke described the position as a ‘top summer priority’ for Spurs.

Described in the report as being one of the ‘most in-demand young defenders’ in Europe, Gvardiol has enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence for both club and country.

Already capped on ten occasions by Croatia at the senior level, the starlet – who is capable of playing as a left-back and centrally – has scored twice and provided three assists in 38 appearances for Leipzig this season.

Previously mooted as possessing a £50million price tag (Daily Mail), Bundesliga aficionado Alex Chaffer hailed Gvardiol as a ‘real star’ when touting the youngster’s development in senior football so far.

In other news: Portuguese