Ivan Perisic is one Tottenham target who is reportedly close to making a move to north London and his admission could be just what Antonio Conte needs
Tottenham fans are used to waiting until the final days of the transfer windows for business to get done. Even in January, Spurs did most of their business on deadline day, securing their two incomings from Juventus.
Both Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur made an immediate impact on the Tottenham side and helped the Lilywhites in the second half of the season. This, along with the influence of Antonio Conte, helped Spurs finish inside the top four, meaning a return to the Champions League in the upcoming season.
Fans will be hoping any new arrivals can have the same impact, when the 2022/23 campaign begins. One player who is close to making his move to the capital is Ivan
about 'complete' player
football.londonreported on Sunday that the midfielder will complete a medical and finalise a contract, that is believed to be a two-year and £98,000 a week deal, at Hotspur Way this week.
The current Inter Milan man-made 35 Serie A appearances last season, scoring eight goals and registering seven assists. If the Croatian was to make the move to Tottenham, it would be a different transfer to many that have been seen in recent windows.
Perisic is 33 and therefore older than some of the other relatively recent arrivals in N17 but with his contract expiring with Inter Milan this summer, he wouldn't cost the club a penny. The Croat could become another wing-back option for Conte and the 52-year-old and Fabio Paratici believe he could help with Ryan Sessegnon's development.
The 33-year-old would also bring a wealth of experience to Tottenham, not in the Premier League but in the footballing world and also has experience of being a winner. In February, the experience was a key factor Conte pointed out, when targeting potential incomings.
"It is inevitable that if you want to grow quicker and if you want to be competitive more rapidly, you need players with a lot of experience, because they also raise the experience level of the overall team," he explained. As well as experience, many argue Tottenham need more leaders in the team.
This is something Teddy Sheringham has outlined, as he believes Spurs need more leaders in the upcoming transfer window, "without a doubt". Perisic's experience helps with this leadership and his comments earlier this month, reiterate this.
"I always believed we could win even when we were 2-1 down. I knew we could win it," he explained after Inter's 4-2 victory against Juventus, in the Copa Italia final, where Perisic scored both extra-time goals.
"We tried to put our heads back up and we lost the plot for ten or fifteen minutes, but I think in the end the victory is deserved. When the team is strong it’s easier to be a leader, when you win you’re not tired."
The 33-year-old clearly sees himself as a leader and along with his winning mentality, those are both qualities that could benefit Conte's side. "When you've got this kind of determination, this enthusiasm, this desire, in the end, everything gets easier for the coach," the Italian said about Perisic, during their time together at Inter.
In 2019, the midfielder admitted that his plan is to "play for another seven or eight years" and he explained he was still "feeling good". Perisic also admitted that he has always dreamed of playing in the Premier League, which seems likely to become a reality this summer.
The 33-year-old's move to Tottenham seems likely to benefit Spurs and Conte in a number of ways. Not costing them anything, having someone with quality, leadership, previously working with Conte and experience of winning and Perisic could be just what the Lilywhites need, on their road to building a stronger team for next season.
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