Tottenham Hotspur are now accelerating a move for a "special" Champions League player, who is viewed as ideal for Thomas Frank.
Spurs eyeing new midfielder after Gray mistake
Just when Tottenham appeared to be building some momentum, winning two games on the spin, they were brought back down to earth with a 3-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, and Frank believes Archie Gray was at fault for the opening goal.
Gray lost possession after deciding against playing a first-time pass, with the Spurs manager saying: "I think it was a classic thing, you see, week in, week out. It’s ball-playing to one of the two sitters. Bounce it up, first touch, not take a touch. He will learn from that. I’m pretty sure he’ll use one touch next time."
When asked whether Guglielmo Vicario was at fault, Frank added: "No. I think you see that every week in the Premier League, from every team, all over the world. So there’s no problem with that."
Considering the youngster is just 19-years-old, mistakes are bound to happen, but the Lilywhites are now keen to bring in a new midfielder with a little more experience.
That is according to a report from Spain, which states Tottenham are now accelerating a move to sign Inter Milan midfielder Davide Frattesi, with N17 one of the most attractive destinations for the Italian.
Frattesi is said to be a perfect fit for Frank's style of play, given that he is a box-to-box midfielder, who makes 'constant attacking runs', and Spurs are willing to give him a leading role right from the off.
Having struggled for game time at Inter this season, receiving a guarantee of regular minutes will be key for the 26-year-old when it comes to deciding which club to join next, with Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool also named as potential suitors.
"Special" Frattesi needs to leave Inter
A lack of creativity has been a major problem for Tottenham this season, with Frank's side recording two of the lowest three xG performances in the Premier League, and they clearly need some inspiration from somewhere.
There are signs the £88k-a-week Inter maestro could be a solution to their attacking woes, given that he has averaged 0.28 non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year, ranking in the 96th percentile, when compared to other midfielders.
Perhaps most famously, the central midfielder scored a dramatic late winner against Barcelona in the second leg of the 2024-25 Champions League semi-final.
Journalist Wayne Girard has also praised the Italy international in the past, claiming he has "something really special" about him while former Inter Milan coach Andrea Stramaccioni once hailed him as "one of the best midfielders in Europe".
Frattesi is experienced at Champions League level, having made 24 appearances in Europe's elite competition, and he could be a solid signing for Tottenham, who could clearly do with bringing in players who pose an attacking threat, given their creativity issues.