Tottenham Hotspur have joined the race to sign highly rated Portuguese centre-back Tiago Gabriel from Lecce, according to Rudy Galetti.
Gabriel spent his early developmental years in Portugal, progressing through the youth systems at Sporting CP and Vitória de Setúbal before completing his academy education with Estrela Amadora.
Lecce opted to take a chance on the defender after selling Federico Baschirotto to Cremonese, a decision that has paid off handsomely, with Gabriel emerging as one of Serie A’s most impressive revelations.
Having been gradually introduced to Italy’s top flight in his first season, the 6ft 5in centre-back, valued at £13m by Transfermarkt, has since established himself as a mainstay, featuring in 18 of Lecce’s 19 league fixtures and regularly attracting attention with his displays for the I Giallorossi this season.
According to Rudy Galetti, Tottenham have indicated interest in signing Gabriel as a possible option to reinforce Thomas Frank’s backline.
While it is unlikely that the Spurs will swoop for the France-born Portugal U21 international this winter, the report adds that the North Londoners have firmly placed him on their radar and will closely monitor his development ahead of next summer.
However, it appears other Premier League clubs have carried out an extensive scouting mission on the 21-year-old, as Galetti claims that Newcastle United are now keeping close tabs on his progress, while Crystal Palace and Everton have made enquiries for the combative centre-back over a possible move.
Spurs monitoring Gabriel
Tottenham are looking to reinforce their squad after a disappointing start to the season. Sitting 14th on the table, Spurs are hoping to find momentum in the second half of the campaign as they chase a return to European competition.
Their struggles were highlighted again in the recent Premier League defeat to Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth, a result that marked their 30th league loss since the beginning of last season, level with West Ham United and only six fewer than bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers.
A major issue for Spurs, particularly in defence, has been how absences impact both performances and results.
The team often falters when captain Cristian Romero is unavailable, with similar problems arising whenever Micky van de Ven is forced to the sidelines.
Hence, adding a promising centre-back like Gabriel, who possesses qualities to compete for a spot among the already established centre-back options, would be an ideal investment for the club next summer.
