Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a move for the Atalanta midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi in recent weeks.
According to a report via The Express, the Premier League side’s transfer chiefs have now reached an agreement to sign the player for a fee of around £13 million in January.
Malinovskyi has been an important member of the Atalanta squad since his move from Genk and it remains to be seen whether he can make an immediate impact in the Premier League now.
The 29-year-old attacking midfielder has a contract with the Italian club until the summer of 2023, which explains the modest transfer fee. Atalanta clearly prefer to sell him in January rather than lose him on a free transfer in the summer.
Antonio Conte needs to add more creativity and goals to his midfield and the Serie A playmaker seems like a good addition in theory. The 29-year-old will be expected to link up with the attackers and add goals to the midfield.
The Ukrainian has picked up 30 goals and 27 assists in 139 appearances for the Italian club since joining them. He could add a new dimension to the Tottenham side if he manages to adapt to English football and Conte’s system quickly.
The reported fee seems quite reasonable for a player who is in his peak years and the transfer could look like a bargain down the line.
Spurs are currently third in the league table and a couple of intelligent additions in January could lay down the foundations of a really successful season.