According to Football Insider, Tottenham's managing director Fabio Paratici has received a huge boost as Spurs target Takehiro Tomiyasu has his heart set on a move to north London this summer.
What’s the latest transfer news involving Takehiro Tomiyasu?
Recent reports from Sky Sports revealed that Tottenham had an opening bid of £12.9m plus £2.6m in add ons for Bologna defender Tomiyasu rejected this summer.
The report claims that Spurs' initial offer is close to the Italian outfit's £17.2m valuation of the Japan international.
Tomiyasu is comfortable at both centre-back and right-back which are reportedly defensive areas that the north London side are looking to strengthen this summer.
[gmsStartingEleven url="https://givemesport.starting11.co.uk/2019-12-11/"]
What has Tomiyasu told his friends about a transfer move?
Football Insider claim that the 22-year-old has told friends that his heart is set on a move to Tottenham, as Spurs battle with Atalanta over the Bologna defender's signature.
The report suggests that newly appointed managing director of football Paratici is looking to finalise the club's first signing under his reign, after he recently contributed to the decision to elect Nuno Espirito Santo as Tottenham's new manager.
Accordingly, news of Tomiyasu's admission to close friends is dubbed as a huge boost for Spurs' new head honcho.
Can England WIN Euro 2020? Check out The Football Terrace's quarter-finals preview!
How does Tomiyasu compare to Tottenham’s current centre-backs?
One of Tomiyasu's biggest strengths is his versatility, as throughout the campaign he frequently featured at centre-back, right-back and even left-back.
The 6 foot 2 defender won 2.9 aerial duels per game for Bologna in Serie A this term - which would have ranked second of any defender in Tottenham's squad in the 2020/21 Premier League campaign.
In comparison to Spurs' most frequently used centre-back Eric Dier, the Japan international excelled in several key defensive areas.
Tomiyasu made 1.5 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per league game in Italy, whereas the England international only managed 0.8 in both respective departments.
The defender's competence both centrally and on the right side of the backline could make him an intriguing proposition for new Tottenham boss Nuno, who could introduce his preferred 3-4-3 formation at Spurs next season.
Should Tottenham be aiming higher than Tomiyasu?
Tomiyasu isn't the biggest name in world football, however he could be a shrewd acquisition for Spurs as they look to improve upon last season's seventh place Premier League finish.
The side are set to compete in the UEFA Conference League next term and the north London outfit may find it difficult to attract bigger signings as a result of missing out on Champions League football.
Tomiyasu's statistics suggest that he would be an upgrade on some of their current options at the heart of Tottenham's defence and at a relatively low fee he could be a valuable asset for the club next season.