Jose Mourinho is finally about to sign 25-year-old he tried to bring to Tottenham, Fabrizio Romano claims

By Sam Preston

Zeki Celik is about to join Jose Mourinho at Roma, having been linked with Tottenham in recent transfer windows.

In 2020, The Telegraph claimed Celik was one of Jose Mourinho’s top targets before signing Matt Doherty.

Even ahead of the most recent January window, Tottenham were once again credited with an interest in the Lille defender.

Spurs look set on Djed Spence as their upgrade at right wing-back, and Mourinho is about to get his man.

Celik about to join Mourinho at Roma

Journalist Fabrizio Romano says that the 25-year-old is about to join the Europa Conference League champions.

There is a confidence that the deal will get done, with Roma willing to increase their offer to tempt the Ligue 1 club to sell.

Mourinho has just signed a player he knows well in the shape of Nemanja Matic, who joins on a free transfer from Manchester United.

Celik’s Lille contract runs until the summer of 2023, which has perhaps helped grease the wheels of the impending deal.

In 2018, Celik named former Spurs defender Kyle Walker as one of his inspirations, alongside the likes of fellow right sided defenders Thomas Meunier, Maicon and Dani Alves.

“I’ve been watching him since he played in Tottenham,” he said of Walker to the Turkish Football Federation, via 90Min.

“Sometimes Guardiola also plays himself as a centre-back – something I have done myself. [I also watch] Thomas Meunier at PSG. There used to be Maicon. I really like the attacking features of Dani Alves. I watch them and imitate them.”

The demands Conte will put on his wing-backs may be different to what the conservative Mourinho demands of his right-backs, and it will be interesting to see how he gets along.