Juventus could start a chain reaction that allows Tottenham Hotspur to sign Nathan Ake

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Tottenham Hotspur’s hunt for a new central defender is starting to heat up. Plenty of names have been linked, including Nikola Milenkovic and Nathan Ake.

The Mirror reported that the Serbian is a target for Tottenham this week. Yesterday, Corriere dello Sport suggested he would cost around £30 million, a fee Juventus have already proposed to the 20-year-old’s club, Fiorentina.

Ake has been linked for over a week. Recently, Sky Sports suggested Tottenham were ‘closely monitoring’ the Dutch international after his good form for Bournemouth.

But there is a stumbling block in any deal for the Dutchman. Chelsea, according to The Telegraph, have a £40 million ‘gentleman’s agreement’ with Bournemouth allowing them first refusal on his signature. Ake joined the Cherries from Chelsea, where he had been from the age of 16.

So Chelsea could hold the key. However, could the interest in Milenkovic from Juventus, help Tottenham get their hands on Ake.

It all revolves around the immensely talented Italian defender Daniele Rugani. Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri is a huge fan of the Juventus player, who he worked with whilst at Empoli.

Indeed, according to his agent Davide Torchia, Chelsea tried hard to sign Rugani this summer. Speaking to RMC Sport (as relayed by TMW), he also made it clear that Rugani, who has played just 90 minutes of Serie A football this season, would be looking to leave if first-team football continued to be slim.

The arrival of Milenkovic would thrust Rugani even further down the pecking order at Juventus. Chelsea would no doubt then be inclined to make a swoop, leaving Ake an unlikely pursuit considering the club’s strength in depth at the back.

It could be that missing out on Milenkovic, starts a chain reaction that helps Tottenham get their hands on £40 million Bournemouth star Ake.