Tottenham join eye-opening race to sign £35m midfield orchestrator turning heads in Italy

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly joined a growing list of clubs chasing a Torino midfielder who is turning plenty of heads with his outstanding displays in Serie A this season.

Midfield is an area of the pitch where Spurs are expected to undergo major surgery this summer, especially given that Ange Postecoglou has failed to find the right mix in his engine room to properly compete against the better teams domestically this season.

A deal is in place to sign Johnny Cardoso from Real Betis for £21million as part of Gio Lo Celso’s return to Spain last summer, but Tottenham are expected to sign at least two new midfielders as they prepare for a clearout.

Yves Bissouma will almost certainly be moved on, while there is a growing feeling that Rodrigo Bentancur could be offloaded to Spain given Atletico Madrid’s interest in the Uruguay international.

Signing Cardoso would certainly add more steel to the Spurs midfield, but they still lack a player capable of orchestrating games centrally – and that is where the links to Torino star Samuele Ricci come in.

A report from The Boy Hotspur states that Tottenham have joined a transfer race that includes the likes of Juventus, AC Milan, Inter, Liverpool and Manchester City to land the 23-year-old talent.

Ricci has showcased his versatility in Torino’s engine room this season, dictating play with his impressive passing range and astute positional sense.

The report adds that Torino want €35-40million (£30-35m) for the player and that Premier League clubs, including Spurs, are closely monitoring his situation with a view to making a concrete move.

Torino ready to play ball over Ricci exit

Torino president Urbano Cairo is reportedly willing to sell Ricci if a suitor meets that asking price, while the player himself is eyeing a project that suits his growing development.