Could Fiorentina’s Federico Bernardeschi move to Tottenham in January?

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Federico Bernardeschi has been linked with Chelsea frequently over the last few months and appears to be on their radar, but according to the Evening Standard, Tottenham Hotspur could be ready to make a move. They report that the Italian international caught Mauricio Pochettino’s eye when he scored a 30-yard goal against Spurs in the Europa League last season and Tottenham have been tracking him ever since. The North London club are believed to be looking to sign a wide attacker to bolster their squad and Bernardeschi is one of the names on their list.

What would he bring to Tottenham?

He is versatile and capable of playing on either wing, centrally or as a left wing back. The Italian is best when on the left wing, but his matches in the number ten role have provided him with experience in central areas. He likes to drift between the lines and find pockets of space from which to influence the game. Bernardeschi possesses excellent vision and is able to play defence-splitting through balls, as he has done numerous times in the past for Fiorentina. Most impressive of all is his ability to operate in tight spaces.

As is required in the modern game, Bernardeschi has an eye for goal and has already scored nine times in Serie A this season. He is currently involved in a goal every 152.9 minutes, which is why he is catching the attention of several clubs across Europe. The Italian is strong dribbler and able to beat players using his low centre of gravity and quick feet. Despite his success in Serie A, there are still areas that he needs to work on, such as decision making and being more direct, but he possesses the traits to be a very good player.

How likely is it?

There will be a lot of competition for Bernardeschi when he leaves Fiorentina, with Chelsea, Barcelona, PSG and Bayern Munich all scouting him in the past. It might be best for him to finish the year with Fiorentina before making any decisions on his future. He is having a good season and a big money move away could provide added pressure that he could do without. Juan Cuadrado left Fiorentina two years ago to come and join Chelsea, but he failed to make an impact and it would be disappointing to see Bernardeschi make a similar mistake.

I do expect Spurs to have some interest in the player as he would thrive in Pochettino’s system and he has the potential to become a lot better in the future. The rumoured fee could be as high as £40 million and it is difficult to see Tottenham placing a bid as high as that, especially after they paid £30 million for Moussa Sissoko in the summer. This could be a deal that could happen in the summer as Spurs are known for monitoring targets over several years. However, I think it is unlikely in this window, as Spurs could wait for the return of Erik Lamela, rather than spend big on another forward.

3/10 – There could be interest there, but it is unlikely to happen this month.

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