It’s a truth universally acknowledged that a team with three first-team right backs will almost certainly try to sign another.
Spurs have World Cup semi-final freekick maestro Kieran Trippier, the ever-more consistent Serge Aurier and the promising Kyle Walker-Peters all available to fill the right-sided defensive berth, yet it appears they may well be in the market for another.
According to reports in Football.London, Tottenham could make a move for AC Milan wonderkid Raoul Bellanova in January. Though it may seem an odd one considering Tottenham’s more pressing needs in other positions, this rumour could have legs.
For a start, Bellanova is out of contract at the San Siro in the summer, meaning that he can talk to clubs outside of Italy from January 1st. It also means, he’d be available on a free transfer.
If there’s one thing Daniel Levy likes, it’s a bargain, and one with such high potential upside and as low-risk as Bellanova could certainly pique his interest.
But he, and Spurs, may face competition from Manchester City. The Cityzens are on the lookout for a future backup to Kyle Walker, with doubts over the long-term fitness of Danilo, their other current option in that position.
Bellanova could certainly fill that role – he has already begun to demonstrate both the tactical nous and physical presence required to flourish in the Premier League.
A marauding wing-back, who likes to join in the attack, but who’s just as comfortable with his back to goal, Bellanova has yet to start for the senior side in Milan, but has contributed a goal and an assist in ten games for the under-23s so far this season, as well as several appearances for the Under-19 Italian national side, despite only being 17 at the time.
One for the future, certainly, but Spurs or City may be wise to snap him up for nothing now, rather than wait and see his price tag skyrocket in the coming years, as it’s sure to do.
