Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly opened talks to sign Hugo Etikite ahead of the summer transfer window…
What’s the word?
That’s according to Italian outlet Calciomercato, who claim that Spurs are one of many European sides taking a keen interest in the Stade de Reims striker.
Arsenal, FC Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and AS Roma are all mentioned by the report, though it’s the north Londoners who appear to have made the first move, opening negotiations with the 19-year-old and his representatives.
The 19-year-old prodigy is expected to cost around €20m (£18m).
Conte’s summer dream
During the January transfer window, the France U20 international rejected a move to Premier League rivals Newcastle United despite a fee of £33m being agreed, as per Sky Sports.
The prospects of landing him for effectively half the price is surely a stroke of genius from sporting director Fabio Paratici and co and indeed, he’d be a signing that manager Antonio Conte would surely love to seal.
His admiration for Harry Kane is no secret, lauding him as one of the best centre-forwards in the world, and whilst this is true, he is without a backup or partner at Hotspur Way.
In his teenage years, Etikite has already proven his worth at the top level, having provided ten goals and four assists across 23 appearances, via Transfermarkt.
Such form and undoubted potential has seen the Reims talisman earn quite the praise.
90min reporter Graeme Bailey lauded him as an “outstanding talent” and further claimed: “many in France believe he could be the next Mbappe,” whilst his manager Oscar Garcia told beIN SPORTS Ligue 1 show:
“There is something very special about him. He’s young, and he has the quality to become a very good player. He’s started a lot of games now, he’s a young man with a lot of quality but also a lot to improve on, but he works hard in training.”
The £18m-rated striker, who stands at 6 foot 2, could allow Conte to deploy his title-winning 3-5-2 system in north London, where Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez fired Inter Milan to their first Scudetto in over a decade.
Kane and Etikite would be a very tempting front two and one that could strike fear into the rest of the Premier League, and more importantly, their top-four rivals.
As such, signing a player likened to one of the world’s top talents is surely an exciting prospect and something of a dream for Conte, who wants to build a much-improved squad at Tottenham.
AND in other news, Alasdair Gold drops Oliver Skipp update…