Tottenham's five-man shortlist as Ange Postecoglou targets two January transfers
Tottenham are continuing to track Bournemouth centre-back Illia Zabarnyi as part of their bid to land defensive reinforcements for Ange Postecoglou.
Spurs previously tried to strike a deal with Dynamo Kyiv for the 21-year-old in 2022 before he eventually sealed his £20million move to the Vitality Stadium in January. Zabarnyi has been an integral figure for the Cherries this season and has taken his game to the next level during their recent resurgence under Andoni Iraola.
Crucially, he is a name that remains prevalent throughout the data algorithms Tottenham's recruitment staff - led by newly-appointed technical director Johan Lange - have been utilising during extensive planning for next month's market.
The Ukraine international, who helped nullify Harry Kane during September's 1-1 draw with England in Wroclaw, boasts a plethora of impressive numbers where passes, blocks and clearances are concerned, though that is not news to Tottenham, who have been courting the player for the best part of two years.
Fabio Paratici, who is still working for the club on a consultancy basis, is a huge admirer of the player and Spurs have now seen first-hand evidence that Zabarnyi has the quality to flourish in the Premier League. Bournemouth have no interest in a sale, particularly so soon after bringing him to the club but Zabarnyi represents a target with promising potential at realistic value.
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Whether a January swoop materialises is another question altogether as Tottenham do have several other names on their shortlist including Atalanta's Giorgio Scalvini and Benfica's Morato. Moves for Zabaryni's Cherries' team-mate Lloyd Kelly, who is out of contract next summer and is showing no interest in the prospect of signing a new deal, and Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo could also be revisited while Marc Guehi is thought to be out of Tottenham's price range.
Spurs are yet to replace Davinson Sanchez and could potentially move for two central defenders if Eric Dier leaves the club next month.
Tottenham are now five Premier League games without a win and could benefit from some January reinforcements (Getty Images) Postecoglou is also optimistic of landing a striker in the upcoming transfer window and some sources still suggest Tottenham are in the running for Ivan Toney's signature alongside Chelsea and Arsenal, even though those claims have been refuted elsewhere. Toney is expected to remain at Brentford until the end of the season when his future will be revisited.
Feyenoord's Santiago Gimenez looks a more viable option but again, the Eredivisie club have little interest in selling their talisman halfway through the season. The Mexican has been heavily scouted by Spurs in the past three months and he is thought to have made a great impression. Problematically, there have been plenty of other scouts from across Europe in attendance.
Postecoglou warned Tottenham supporters on Friday that the club are shopping in a challenging market, stating: "Well, it is not easy because when you talk about the finished product, you know what that is going to cost in the market and there aren't that many there," he said.
"So, it is about developing young players here and giving them information and more room for them to continue to grow and understand the different options they have in those areas. Some of it is the experience of them being in those positions and us giving them new information to execute it better next time."
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