Tottenham reportedly view a Leeds United star as 'ready-made' for new manager Roberto De Zerbi after holding a long-standing interest in signing him.
Spurs appoint De Zerbi as Italian already makes recruitment plans
De Zerbi has barely had time to unpack at Hotspur Way, yet the reported summer planning at Tottenham is already gathering momentum.
Within hours of his appointment being confirmed, claims from Italy suggested that Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli is one of De Zerbi's top targets - a player he worked with at Sassuolo and who he named during initial meetings with the club's hierarchy as a priority for next season.
Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is also reportedly heading to Inter Milan, with Brighton's Bart Verbruggen emerging as De Zerbi's preferred rumoured replacement between the sticks.
Spurs have also apparently entered the running for Fulham's 69-times capped Wales winger Harry Wilson, with Liverpool and Manchester United also monitoring his situation.
It is a striking level of activity for a club that hasn't registered a league win since December and faces an immediate battle for top-flight survival.
But the thinking is clear: the summer rebuild cannot wait, and De Zerbi — backed by a five-year deal and one of the largest managerial salaries in the Premier League — is wasting no time in shaping his vision.
Crucially, everything is contingent on first achieving what must be the absolute priority: avoiding relegation.
Nowhere is the rebuild more obviously required than in central defence, and a report from TEAMtalk adds meaningful context to Spurs' search for reinforcements at the back.
Tottenham identify Pascal Struijk as 'ready-made' De Zerbi option
Leeds' Pascal Struijk has emerged as a concrete target for Tottenham, with the north London club viewing the Dutchman as a reliable, 'ready-made' option capable of immediately bolstering De Zerbi's options.
The backdrop to that interest is the increasingly inevitable departure of club captain Cristian Romero, with TT saying he is 'nearing the exit'.
The World Cup winner's future at Spurs is hanging by a thread despite signing a contract extension only last August.
Fabrizio Romano has stated publicly that Romero has "serious chances" to leave in the summer, with Atlético Madrid the most prominent suitor — Diego Simeone having already praised the defender openly in the build-up to their Champions League tie.
Romero's own comments have done little to dampen the speculation. When pressed on his future following the second leg at Spurs, his response was a pointed "we'll see later."
Ben Jacobs reports there is a "strong possibility" of a parting of ways even if Tottenham preserve their Premier League status.
The 27-year-old's disciplinary record — two red cards and ten yellow cards in the league this season alone — combined with his recurring fitness issues have only accelerated the thinking.
Into that void, Struijk represents an appealing solution.
The former Ajax academy graduate has been one of the most consistent performers for Leeds this season, combining composure on the ball with assured left-footed distribution that lends itself naturally to a possession-oriented system of the kind De Zerbi demands.
He can operate in a back four or as the left-sided centre-back in a three — versatility that, given Spurs' injury-ridden season, is priceless.
Leeds value Struijk in the £35-40m bracket, but with one year remaining they may struggle to hold that line if the right bid arrives.
For Leeds, losing Struijk would be a painful blow whatever the circumstances. Preliminary contract discussions have taken place and manager Daniel Farke is determined to retain his defensive cornerstone.
The player himself is settled and not pushing for a move, but divisional uncertainty clouds everything, and if Leeds are back in the Championship come August, the calculus changes for everyone.