Tottenham Hotspur now face a fresh hurdle in their pursuit of Marco Palestra, with Liverpool stepping up their interest in the Atalanta star.
Tottenham Hotspur could be very active in the transfer market this summer, and they will be keen to strengthen a couple of positions.
The backline is one area that Spurs might look to improve, especially if a few of their established starters are sold or depart the club.
Cristian Romero has been linked with a move away from north London, while Micky van de Ven is also attracting interest from several sides in Europe.
With that in mind, Spurs will undoubtedly look to be proactive when building their squad in the summer, and preparations on that front appear to have started.
Tottenham target Marco Palestra transfer as Liverpool step up interest
According to CaughtOffside, Tottenham are said to have an eye on Atalanta’s young defender Marco Palestra.
The defender is capable of featuring as a right-back as well as a right midfielder, making him a versatile addition to their backline.
MORE SPURS STORIES
It is claimed that Tottenham have had the 21-year-old on their radar for quite some time, and they have even scouted him in several matches.
We reported last month that Palestra could be a long-term replacement for Pedro Porro – the Spaniard himself is also attracting interest from clubs elsewhere.
Spurs face Liverpool battle for Marco Palestra as £39m price emerges
While Spurs have begun work on Palestra, they are not expected to have a free run at the right-back this summer, with other clubs understood to be interested in the Atalanta man.
Liverpool is also in the race for the defender and is making “serious preparations” to secure the signature of Palestra. The Reds see the full-back as a solution to strengthen squad depth and possibly as a long-term replacement option.
Inter Milan, Newcastle United and Juventus are also interested in Palestra. In fact, Inter backed away in January due to complications with his loan status, but they are now preparing a bid of around £30 million (€35 million) for the summer.