Reports from Italy suggest that Tottenham Hotspur could be involved in a shocking summer swap deal
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Tottenham Hotspur’s summer has yet to truly take shape, and while rumours are swirling around North London about the direction the club will take as it looks to rebuild a squad which endured a worrying dalliance with relegation, the only thing that’s currently clear is that there will be plenty of movement in the transfer window.
According to a new report from Italy, that could include a rather surprising swap deal. Juventus, it seems, have a player that Spurs want to get their hands on before the start of the 2025/26 campaign – but may demand one of Roberto De Zerbi’s regular starters in return.
The shock swap deal Spurs could be offered this summer
A new report from Italian outlet Calciomercato suggests that Spurs are monitoring Canadian striker Jonathan David, whose transfer to Juventus last summer has yet to bear much fruit – despite scoring freely in France over the course of several seasons with Lille, David managed just eight goals in 46 games for his new club and his future is up in the air.
With Spurs looking to reshape their attack, the pacy David – who scored 109 goals in 232 matches for Lille and has an equally impressive record at international level – could be back on the club’s radar after they were reported to be one of the teams interested in signing him last summer when he was available on a free transfer.
Juventus won that race, but are embarking on a rebuild of their own as they look to balance the books – their financial situation is rather grim as it stands – and to fix their own attacking failings. The rebuilding process includes attempting to strike a fresh deal for Randal Kolo Muani, who enjoyed a good loan spell in Turin before struggling with Spurs during the 2025/26 season.
Another domino in a rather convoluted rally is Andrea Cambiaso, one of the most widely sought-after players in Juventus’ squad and whose potential departure would leave the Old Lady in need of a new left-back – and that’s where the swap deal could come in, it’s claimed, with Destiny Udogie among the potential targets.
Udogie has been a regular starter under De Zerbi but David could be offered as a piece in a part-exchange deal, a scenario which would suit the cash-strapped Serie A side. Whether it would suit Spurs remains to be seen – the report suggests a swap offer as an option which is somewhere on the table, but doesn’t claim to know Spurs’ attitude towards such a deal, and nor is there any suggestion that negotiations have taken place.
Complicating matters further is the fact that Juventus have yet to reach a decision on whether to give David another year at the Allianz Stadium or not. With Loïs Openda expected to leave and the future of Dušan Vlahović still undetermined, they have yet to figure out whether it’s worth holding on to the Canadian or whether they have enough firepower up front to let him leave.
If Kolo Muani is signed and Vlahović chooses to stay, however, then David may end up being surplus to requirements, knocking over the first domino in the chain. There will likely be other sides interested in David, who had dozens of suitors last summer, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Spurs among the teams in the mix with Kolo Muani unlikely to return and Richarlison expected to seek a new club.
Would signing Jonathan David be worth the loss of Destiny Udogie?
Whether Spurs would be sufficiently keen on David to consider selling Udogie is another matter, of course. The Italy international started every game under De Zerbi after the Italian took charge, and while he lacks some of the attacking instincts the manager seems to appreciate in his full-backs, it’s evident that he has a role under the new regime.
Based on his work at Lille, however, the prospect of adding David to the squad would certainly be a tempting one. The 26-year-old may have had a tough time at Juventus so far, but in a system more sympathetic to his talents he has a track record which suggests he could thrive.
At his best playing in a fast attacking team who look to make use of his speed and his ability to exploit space in behind the opposing defence, David was an odd fit at Juventus where he was often asked to play with his back to goal in a role which was closer to that of a traditional target man. It wasn’t a style of play which suited David, and his confidence and performances seemed to plummet as a result.
His ceiling is demonstrably much higher than the past year of his career would suggest. In De Zerbi’s fast-moving, high-pressing style of football, his natural talents might be given more space to come to the fore - and his outstanding goalscoring record is a testament to the potential results.
Whether that tempts Spurs into giving up Udogie is an open question, and it’s only an offer that will reach the table if a number of other moves take place – in short, it’s not necessarily likely, but it is a solution which could suit two teams trying to make significant changes to their squads after disappointing recent results.
Should Spurs seek a deal for David which doesn’t involve any players, then Calciomercato claim that Juventus are expected to value him at around €30-35m (£26-30m), likely rather less than the valuation that Spurs would place on Udogie. A straight cash-for-player deal is rather more probable, but perhaps Juventus could make the terms tempting enough if the dominoes do indeed fall as planned.