Tottenham Hotspur have arguably gained a major boost to their hopes of signing Juventus winger Federico Chiesa after his new boss cast doubt on his future.
Juve are said to have hot offers for Chiesa, 26, whose contract expires next summer. There is no indication that he will sign a new one at the Allianz Stadium, so it is possible that he will get it at a reduced price.
Tottenham are just one of several clubs linked to a move for the Italian star, who has suffered injuries and poor form in recent seasons. Since scoring 16 goals in the 2020-21 season before helping the Azzurri win the European Championship, he has managed just 22 in the three years since, playing just 68 league games this period.
The arrival of Thiago Motta as coach, replacing Max Allegri after helping Bologna qualify for the Champions League last season, marked the start of a new era in Turin. Motta has now commented on Chiesa’s situation and whether he will be part of the future. Only two words were spoken: ‘We’ll see. ‘”
Reports in Italy Motta will have no problem squandering Chiesa, with Dusan Tadic, Filip Kostic and Arkadiuz Milik at his disposal in attack.
Tottenham are yet to take concrete steps for Chiesa, but manager Angel Postecoglou lamented the “misinformation” surrounding move stories and remained tight-lipped about his prospects, a pre-season jaunt to Japan.
“At this time of year, it’s tough for enthusiasts because they don’t have all the data and it’s fair to say there’s a lot of bad data,” he told reporters at a news conference.
“We strive to attract players and it is a procedure that you have to be patient with. But in terms of what we have decided to do, that is still the plan and you have to remain disciplined in that sense. Sometimes the timing doesn’t work and it doesn’t work. It happens as quickly as you would like and you don’t bring them (the players) in at the right time, but I think it’s vital that you are disciplined and don’t run away to chase other things.
“So what we started at the beginning of the summer is still there, and I wouldn’t need to put any deadline on it. Much of this is out of our hands and we just need to be patient. From where I am now, we are still in this phase where what we have known is still what we are looking for.
Archie Gray, the teenager signed from Leeds for around £45m, remains Spurs’ main signing so far.
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