Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte has placed Matthijs de Ligt on his transfer wish list.

What's the talk?

According to reports in Italy (via i News), the new Spurs boss has identified the Juventus centre-back as one of his top targets in the January transfer window as he looks to strengthen his options in the heart of the north Londoners' defence, with both Davinson Sanchez and Eric Dier being tipped for an exit from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Daily Express reported that the 52-year-old has around £150m to spend in the winter market, something which would allow the former Inter Milan boss to meet the reported €70m (£60m) figure at which Juventus value the Netherlands international.

Fans will be buzzing

Considering the sheer amount of potential that De Ligt quite clearly possesses, the news that Conte is plotting a move for the defender, coupled with the prospect of much-maligned duo Sanchez and Dier being moved on, is sure to have Tottenham fans buzzing. Indeed, both the Colombian and the Englishman have turned in some rather awful performances in recent weeks.

Indeed, while the 22-year-old has not quite hit the heights of his final season at Ajax since his £76.95m move to Turin back in 2019, the youngster has nevertheless demonstrated that he still possesses the ability to flourish into one of the world's leading centre-backs - something which would likely be realise under Conte's management.

Over his seven Serie A appearances this season, the £63m-rated Dutchman has helped his team to keep one clean sheet, scored one goal and created one big chance for his teammates, as well as making 1.1 interceptions and one tackle, completing 42.1 passes and winning 4.7 duels per game.

These returns have seen the player who Italian football expert Carlo Garganese dubbed a "monster" average a SofaScore match rating of 6.94, ranking him as Massimiliano Allegri's joint fifth-best performer - alongside legendary centre-back Leonardo Bonucci - in the Italian top flight.

As such, it would indeed appear a highly advisable move for Fabio Paratici to do all he can to get a deal over the line for the £200k-per-week De Ligt in January, as the defender seems like a player around whom Conte could build his Tottenham defence for many years to come.

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