Tottenham in race to sign Serie A defender

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou will be hoping that the new year can kickstart his side’s season when they host Newcastle United on Saturday.

The Lilywhites have endured a difficult campaign so far, winning just seven of their 19 Premier League matches.

Spurs sit 11th in the top flight table and currently occupy ninth spot in the Europa League group phase standings, with only the top eight qualifying automatically for the knockout stages of the competition.

Last time out, Tottenham were held to a 2-2 draw by Wolves as the revitalised visitors grabbed a late equaliser in North London.

With the January transfer window now in full swing, Postecoglou and those in charge of Spurs’ recruitment could look to delve into the market.

With that in mind, it has emerged that the London side are chasing a Serie A defender.

As per Football Insider, Spurs are chasing Udinese centre-back Thomas Kristensen.

The report claims that the 22-year-old is valued by his current club at around £16.5 million, with Udinese likely to be tempted to sell the player if a suitable offer is tabled.

Kristensen (right) has attracted interest from Premier League clubs

Spurs’ Premier League rivals Leicester City are also said to be chasing the defender, while German champions Bayer Leverkusen are also credited with an interest.

Tottenham are on the hunt for defensive reinforcements having been plagued by injuries at the back in recent months, and the report claims that the London side have watched Kristensen in action recently.

Kristensen joined Udinese from Danish side Aarhus in the summer of 2023 and has since made a total of 33 appearances for the Italian outfit across all competitions.

He has established himself as a regular this season, although he did miss a number of games earlier this term due to a calf injury.

Kristensen is contracted to Udinese until the end of the 2027/28 campaign, but the report suggests that the Serie A side could be willing to sell the player this year.