Tottenham Hotspur have been quite active in the last few days, as the January transfer window draws to an inevitable close. The Deadline Day is set on 31st January, with English clubs expected to complete all deals and paperwork by 11 pm on the 31st. Naturally, Tottenham, like all other clubs are desperate to complete their deals before the deadline day.
After being close to completing the signing of Juventus striker Dejan Kulusevski, Spurs have decided to raid Juve once again, this time for the signature of midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur. The 24-year-old Uruguayan is set to leave Turin, amid interest from Tottenham. Sources state that there was interest for Bentancur from Aston Villa as well, but the Midlands club have pulled out of the race, with the proposed fee too high for them. According to the reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano, Spurs are confident that they will be able to seal the deal with a fee of around €19 million-plus €6 million in add ons.
Bentancur is joining Spurs, of course. *DeadlineDay madness* 🔛😂
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 30, 2022
Juventus have been pushing hard to sign wantaway Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Denis Zakaria, and as a result, are freeing up funds by offloading a few players. They have already signed striker Dusan Vlahovic this month, and are looking to strengthen more with Zakaria. The knock-on effect of Zakaria’s pursuit means that Bentancur has had to make way, and Spurs have jumped at the opportunity to sign the talented Uruguayan.
The 24-year-old is a well-balanced midfielder and controls the midfield brilliantly. He joined Juve in the summer of 2017 and has been a regular starter since, only falling behind on-loan midfielder Manuel Locatelli this season. Spurs have failed to control the midfield in recent games, and the likes of Tanguay Ndombele, Dele Alli, Giovanni Lo Celso all fail to hit form. Therefore, Antonio Conte has looked at options in the midfield area this summer, with the signings of Kulusevski and Bentancur. Fabio Paritici’s links to his old club certainly help with negotiations as Spurs are on the verge of signing two Juve players this month.
Bentancur has some strong attributes, and his imposing figure will bring a calming presence to a troubled Spurs midfield. The 24-year-old’s passing and vision are brilliant, and he has the ability to send in long balls from his midfield position. He can pick out runs from attackers like Son Heung-min and Steven Bergwijn on the flanks, which will be hugely beneficial to Antonio Conte’s side. While his attacking side is compelling, he is as good on the defensive side, with the Uruguayan capable of playing in a holding midfield position as well. Bentancur’s well-timed tackles and his ability to read the game and intercept dangerous passes are a big advantage to any side. His positional discipline is excellent, and there is no surprise that Conte wants the midfielder at Spurs, with the Italian coach notorious for his insistence on strict positioning and tactical setups.
Spurs are close to agreeing on a deal with Juve, and reports state that the deals for both Juve players could be completed by Sunday night. It has no doubt been a good piece of business from the London club, and you would not fault Spurs fans for getting excited. The fans and manager will hope that the two new arrivals will be enough to propel the club to a UCL spot, with rival clubs Manchester United, Arsenal, and West Ham all vying for the one spot.
