Daily Star journalist Paul Brown thinks new Tottenham manager Antonio Conte would love to sign Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella.
Conte was only confirmed as Spurs' new boss on Tuesday, but thoughts have already turned to who he could sign in the next transfer window in January.
Have Conte and Barella worked together before?
They have indeed.
The pair enjoyed plenty of success at Inter during their two years together, which culminated in the Serie A giants lifting their first Scudetto in 11 years back in May.
During that period, Barella featured in 63 league matches, scoring four goals and providing 15 assists. His outstanding performances last season led to him being named Serie A Midfielder of the Year, and he continued his form into the summer as Italy won the European Championships for the second time in their history.
What has Brown said about Barella?
Tottenham were also linked with Barella in the most recent transfer window, but they did not come particularly close to landing the 24-year-old.
Now that Conte is at the helm, Brown has hinted that the Italian coach may try to convince the club's hierarchy to renew their interest in the 33-cap international.
He told GIVEMESPORT: “Conte would clearly love to have Barella come to Spurs.”
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Could Tottenham realistically sign Barella?
It seems very unlikely at the moment.
The midfielder, who is valued at £58.5m by Transfermarkt, signed a new deal with Inter earlier today, which is set to keep him at the club until 2026.
He has been in sparkling form in Milan over the last two years, so it is little surprise that he is willing to commit his future to the Nerazzurri.
Then again, agreeing a new long-term contract does not necessarily mean that Tottenham cannot sign him in the future.
Inter have had financial issues in recent times, which led to them selling Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi to Chelsea and PSG, respectively, in the summer.
They may have to move another of their star names on in the near future to balance the books, which could mean that Barella is shown the exit door.
If that is the case, Barella may fancy the opportunity of being reunited with Conte, and could try his luck in the Premier League with Spurs.
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