Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur

Premier League • England

Huge boost for Antonio Conte as Tottenham move ahead of Liverpool in chase for Serie A man

Antonio Conte, October 2022

Antonio Conte could get a top midfielder added to his ranks in the January transfer window amid claims Tottenham are ahead of Liverpool in the race to sign Sofyan Amrabat.

The 26-year-old has proven himself to be a standout player in the Italian top flight since joining Fiorentina from Hellas Verona in January 2020. Before that, he had spells at the likes of FC Utrecht, Feyenoord and Club Brugge.

Amrabat took his reputation to the next level by shining for Morocco at the World Cup. He put in several dominant midfield performances on their route to the semi-finals, which saw them make history. Morocco became the first African team to reach the last four of the World Cup.

Unfortunately for Amrabat and his side, this is where their dream came to an end as France knocked them out.

Amrabat will likely start when Fiorentina return to Serie A action against Monza on Wednesday January 4. However, he might not be playing for Fiorentina come the end of the winter window.

That’s because the midfield general is being heavily linked with a Premier League switch. He is on Liverpool’s radar as Jurgen Klopp looks to bolster his options in the centre of the park.

Liverpool are also interested in Jude Bellingham and Enzo Fernandez, two players who also did exceptionally well at the World Cup. But as these two stars are incredibly highly rated, Amrabat represents a far cheaper option. Reports claim he could be signed for around £35m.

Tottenham have also been tipped to make an approach for Amrabat next month. They have good knowledge of the Italian market, as shown by the clever signings of Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur and Ivan Perisic. And with Amrabat currently representing Fiorentina, Conte could complete another shrewd capture from Serie A.

Tottenham beating Liverpool in pursuit of World Cup player

The Spurs boss has now been given a major lift, with reports claiming the north London side are ahead of Liverpool in the race for the Netherlands-born Moroccan international.

It is the Daily Express who provide the report, while citing Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. They claim Spurs are ‘in pole position’ to snare Amrabat.

The report doesn’t reveal why this is the case. Perhaps Liverpool are actively pursuing Bellingham and Fernandez more than they are with Amrabat. Although, this would contradict a recent report from Italy which claims Liverpool are stepping up their pursuit of the latter.

Conte would love it if Liverpool went after alternative signings. This would essentially give his team a free run at negotiating with Fiorentina.

Spurs already have strong options in midfield, with the likes of Yves Bissouma, Bentancur and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg available to Conte. But if Spurs want to challenge Manchester City in the future, they need great backup options to join. And Amrabat would certainly fit into this category.

The only thing the 46-cap international needs to be careful of is ensuring he plays regularly at his next club.

At Fiorentina, he is usually in the starting eleven as he is one of their best players. But if Amrabat moved to Spurs, he wouldn’t start as often due to the likes of Hojbjerg and Bentancur. This could affect his career and presence in the Morocco first team.

Meanwhile, Conte has reportedly asked senior Spurs chiefs to sign a promising defensive upgrade.