Tottenham director Paratici a huge weapon in Kulusevski deal
James Shearman
- 29 Sept 2021 18:35 BST
- 3 min read
Tottenham are interested in signing Dejan Kulusevski from Juventus, with Spurs director Fabio Paratici thought to be a major advantage in getting a potential deal over the line.
The 21-year-old only signed for the Old Lady last summer, in an initial £30m move, but patience is running out as he has so far failed to lived up to expectations.
He has scored just seven times in 54 appearances, and now often finds himself on the substitutes bench under Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri.
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Yet, despite the Swedish forward's lack of gametime, Spurs reportedly sent scouts to watch him play, according to the Mirror.
In fact, in the game that the scouts were at, Kulusevski managed just seven minutes in a Champions League win over Malmo.
Kulusevski to Spurs?
Regardless of the ultimately pointless scouting trip, Tottenham are thought to remain interested in signing Kulusevski either in the January window or, more likely, at the end of the season.
The Spurs squad needs reinforcements, evidenced by their 3-1 loss to Arsenal on Sunday, and young players with points to prove could be the way forward.
Moreover, director Fabio Paratici could have a significant part to play in securing the Juve man's signature.
The Italian left Turin for London this summer, meaning he has the necessary relationships with the Juventus hierarchy to strike a deal.
Tottenham are already considering Nuno replacements…
Some players are complaining about the type of football being played and his personality. [Duncan Castles] pic.twitter.com/GMjOzUIrcj— PurelyFootball (@PurelyFootball) September 29, 2021
Paratici is also a fan of Kulusevski - who is one of many names on the shortlist of players that could improve Nuno Espirito Santo's squad.
And it's not only the Tottenham camp that believe the deal is one that should be made, as former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson believes it could be time for the fellow Swede to leave.
"Obviously, the coach sees something that makes him not trust him 100 per cent,'' he told The Italian Football Podcast
"But with the talent Kulusevski has, he can do things on his own. So, it is very strange that he doesn’t start every game.
"I don’t think he should leave Juve now, but if this goes on all season, and that he’s sitting on the bench, then I think he should leave.
"Also, at his age, with his talent, also for the Swedish national team, he needs to play regularly, he has to play a lot. If not he won’t become the great player we hope he will become."
