Tottenham Hotspur are preparing an aggressive summer rebuild after narrowly avoiding relegation from the Premier League.
Roberto De Zerbi wants immediate improvements across the squad, and the new Spurs manager is already targeting players he knows extremely well.
The Italian reportedly believes familiarity could help Tottenham recover quickly after a disastrous campaign. Now, one of De Zerbi’s former Brighton players emerged as a major target behind the scenes.
According to The Independent, Tottenham Hotspur are preparing a move for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba.
The Cameroon international already attracted huge interest across Europe following another outstanding season at the AMEX Stadium.
Manchester United have pushed strongly for Baleba during recent months and reports previously suggested the midfielder already verbally agreed a move to Old Trafford.
However, Tottenham now want to hijack the deal completely. De Zerbi reportedly believes his relationship with Baleba could become decisive in convincing the midfielder .
Spurs struggled badly throughout the season when opponents attacked them in transition and De Zerbi believes Baleba could completely transform that weakness.
Still, any deal would be extremely expensive. Brighton reportedly value Baleba at around £100 million after the club secured qualification for next season’s Conference League.
The Seagulls remain determined to protect their squad despite growing interest from Europe’s biggest clubs.
Manchester United continue believing they remain firmly in the race because of the verbal agreement already reached with the player’s side.
Baleba reportedly pushed for a move to Old Trafford since last summer and still views United as an attractive destination. Even so, the Spurs believe De Zerbi’s presence could change the situation.
In North London, there is growing confidence the manager’s close connection with Baleba may at least reopen the conversation.
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