Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly had a €40m offer rejected by Como for Nico Paz as they look to replace the injured James Maddison.
Maddison tore his ACL during a pre-season match against Newcastle, with scans later revealing he would be out for the majority of the new season.
That left new manager Thomas Frank with an unexpected hole in his midfield, prompting the North London club to go on the lookout for a replacement.
While names like Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey have been linked, Italian media suggest Spurs are targeting the 20-year-old Como midfielder Nico Paz.
The Spanish-born Argentine only joined Como last season, but impressed in his first season in Italy. Before that, he spent six years in the Real Madrid academy, which resulted in him playing eight league matches for the first team in the 2023-24 season.
According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Spurs put forward a bid of €40m for Paz, but it has been rejected by Cesc Fabregas’ side.
Di Marzio say the club values the player at €70m and that an offer of at least €60m would be needed before negotiations could begin.
Como’s insistence on a high price may be due to a contract stipulation Madrid put into the sale, enabling them to collect 50% of any fee.
Meanwhile, Daily Mirror reporter Ryan Taylor claims Tottenahm sources have denied submitting a bid.
With Dejan Kulusevski also sidelined for the first month of the new season, Spurs are expected to enter the transfer market and have been keeping an eye on Leicester City’s Bilal El Khannouss.
Also on the shortlist is Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott, who is believed to be available for a fee around £45m, but he could move to Leipzig to replace the Chelsea-bound Xavi Simons.
Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche and Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze are also options for the reigning Europa League champions.
Since moving to Spurs in 2023, Maddison has already missed a number of games through injury. An ankle injury kept him out for 13 matches in the 2023-24 season while a calf strain and knee injury saw him miss 11 games last season.
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On his latest injury, Spurs said the 28-year-old will have surgery in the coming days.
“We can confirm that James Maddison will undergo surgery for a ruptured Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in his right knee,” a club statement read.
“The 28-year-old midfielder suffered the injury during our pre-season friendly against Newcastle United on Sunday in Seoul.
“His surgery will take place in the coming days and, following that, James will then begin his rehabilitation with our medical team.
“Everyone at Tottenham Hotspur wishes James a full and speedy recovery. We will be supporting him every step of the way.”
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