Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte is an admirer of Paris Saint-Germain’s Leandro Paredes, according to Italian outlet Calciomercato (via Sport Witness).
The lowdown
Paredes, who’s predominantly operated as a defensive midfielder this season but can also play more advanced roles, is approaching the final year of his contract at the Parc des Princes.
He’s made 22 appearances for Mauricio Pochettino’s side in a season disrupted by injury. Earlier this month, PSG confirmed that he’d undergone surgery on a groin issue, bringing an end to his campaign.
Spurs did strengthen their midfield ranks in January with the signing of Rodrigo Bentancur from Juventus, but the futures of Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso could be in doubt after they were loaned out.
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The latest
As it stands, Paredes is more likely to leave PSG than he is to sign a new contract, alerting several clubs, says the report.
Tottenham are one of those sides aware of the situation, and Conte ‘would gladly welcome’ the opportunity to work with him. The manager’s former club, Inter Milan, are also interested as they seek support for Marcelo Brozovic in midfield.
PSG are set to demand around €25million (about £20.8million) to let him go.
The verdict
Paredes is a useful player in possession. He ranks in the 99th percentile among positional peers for pass completion, as well as progressive carries and progressive passes (via FBRef). The Argentine is also capable of disrupting the opposition, averaging 2.61 tackles per 90 minutes (70th percentile).
Paredes has helped PSG regain the Ligue 1 title, but he could only watch on from the bench as PSG collapsed against Real Madrid in the Champions League Round of 16, as Pochettino subbed him off with 20 minutes to go, a decision journalist Rahman Osman called ‘scandalous’.
The pair do seem to enjoy a good relationship, though, with Pochettino joking after the first leg in February that he thought Paredes had broken his nose in the celebrations that followed Kylian Mbappe’s winner.
His experience on the biggest stages could make him a smart pick-up for Spurs, particularly with price tag looking reasonable.
In other news, read this insider’s Patrick Bamford/THFC claim.
