Lautaro Rivero is seen as one of the best upcoming players in Argentina.
The 21-year-old centre-back has quickly made himself known in South America, which has caught the eye of numerous teams.
After making his senior Argentina debut on 14 October, his reputation has only increased further as he looks to make it into the 2026 World Cup squad.
As a result, reports have recently emerged that Tottenham have been scouting Rivero ahead of a potential move.
However, their plans to secure the youngster’s signature may have already taken a blow.
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City Group enter the race for Tottenham target Lautaro Rivero
Tottenham have already been making plans to sign players in the January transfer window.
Young players have consistently been linked with the North London side, with Rivero being the latest.
Alongside Tottenham, Atletico Madrid were also believed to be in the race. However, both clubs could now be set to be blown out of the water.
According to El Intransigente on 16 October, the City Group have now entered the race for his signature.
With teams such as Manchester City, Girona and New York City FC on their roster, they are looking to snap up the young defender.
The article states that preliminary contacts have begun as they look to learn about Rivero’s contractual situation.
River Plate fear that, given the City Group’s financial strength, negotiations are inevitable, as they hope to keep hold of their star man until mid-2026.
How good is Rivero?
Given the hype around the defender, it is no surprise that many of his stats are excellent this season.
According to Fotmob, Rivero is excellent at winning duels, and can also successfully play the ball from out from the back.
Therefore, it would be a significant coup if Tottenham were able to beat everyone else to the signing of Rivero.
Hopefully, Thomas Frank can get the deal over the line before the City Group swoops in and secures the signing of the Argentine international.
If not, it would be yet another incident where Man City have derailed Tottenham’s transfer plans.