Just In!! Tottenham to work on sensational defensive upgrade as they are ready to bid £42M + emerson royal as add-ons for the young talented serie A star
Tottenham Hotspur are interested in using Emerson Royal as a counterweight to help them win the race to sign Denzel Dumfries from Inter Milan, according to a report.
Dumfries has long been linked with a move to the Premier League and Tottenham have regularly been classed among his admirers as they aim to evolve their full-back departments.
According to Inter Live, they remain in the hunt for the Netherlands international along with Manchester United and Chelsea.
The difference in their pursuits is that Tottenham could try to negotiate a part-exchange deal, whereas the other two suitors might be more likely to make cash bids.
Tottenham’s plan, as the report explains, would be to offer Emerson to Inter in return for Dumfries.
Spurs believe Emerson is worth €35m (£29.99m), while Inter have set a €50m (£42.85m) asking price for Dumfries. In other words, Ange Postecoglou’s side could arrange the deal for a €15m (£12.85m) net spend.
However, Inter are unlikely to accept the proposal, despite their longstanding interest in Emerson, because they want Dumfries’ sale to be for pure cash.
Obviously, they would have to find a way to replace him still, but it seems they want to look at things separately.
Whether that means Man Utd or Chelsea might have a better chance than Tottenham for Emerson is not strictly stated, but it could be the case.
Dumfries would have been an ideal target for Tottenham during the Antonio Conte era due to being accustomed to playing ahead of a back three, but how he would adapt to Postecoglou’s tactics in a back four would be up for question.
At the age of 27, though, he is in his prime and would be an exciting addition to almost any squad.
Emerson, on the other hand, has divided opinion since Tottenham took him from Barcelona in 2021, but remains under contract until 2026.
He is currently competing with Pedro Porro for the right-back berth at Tottenham, but it is the Spaniard who has been the more regular starter recently.
Nevertheless, Postecoglou has put Emerson on as a substitute fairly frequently.
Tottenham should focus on other priorities
In reality, the right-back department should remain as it is for the time being, since Tottenham have more pressing issues to address.
For example, they need more depth at centre-back and on the wings because of injuries, and in central midfield because of their reliance on two players who will soon be unavailable while at the Africa Cup of Nations (Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr).
But with Dumfries about to enter the final 18 months of his contract with Inter, the Dutchman will be a player to keep an eye on – and not miss out on – in the near future.
