Tottenham have contacted Juventus as they plan an £80million swoop for striker Paulo Dybala.
Spurs are ready to break their transfer record — set earlier this summer when they signed Tanguy Ndombele — to bring the 25-year-old to North London.
Argentina ace Dybala is regarded as one of the best forwards in the world and his capture would be regarded as a huge coup for Mauricio Pochettino.
Dybala has suffered from the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo at Juventus, scoring just 10 goals last season, and the Turin club are prepared to listen to offers for him. While a move — which would smash the £65m agreed with Lyon for Ndombele earlier this month — is seen as ambitious, Spurs are serious about bringing Dybala to the club and setting up a partnership with Harry Kane.
Initial contact was made around a month ago, and the prospect of a deal is good as chairman Daniel Levy looks to back his manager.
Spurs face competition, however, from Manchester United — who they play in Shanghai today — and Paris Saint-Germain. In February last year, before Spurs played Juventus in the Champions League round of 16, Pochettino hailed his compatriot Dybala.
‘It’s always nice to play against the best in the world,’ he said, before describing the striker as a ‘special talent’.
‘Seeing him on the pitch is wonderful, even if he might cause you a few problems,’ Pochettino added.
Juventus subsequently won the second leg 2-1 at Wembley to clinch a 4-3 aggregate victory, with Dybala scoring the winner in the second half.