Frank eager to land former Real Madrid defender as Tottenham face battle with rivals
Tottenham are reportedly keen on signing a former Real Madrid defender, with Thomas Frank leading the push after his solid start to the season.
Spurs’ fortunes have turned round under Frank. They finished 17th in the Premier League last season under Ange Postecoglou, but are currently third under new management.
Tottenham have won four of their seven Premier League games so far, while also dropping just two points from their first two Champions League games, and breezing into the next round of the League Cup.
Their defence has been particularly solid, as in their seven league games, Spurs have conceded just five goals.
But Frank now wants to add more quality to his back line. According to TBRFootball, they are the latest club to join the race for the services of Lazio defender Mario Gila.
The former Real Madrid centre-back has played all but six minutes in the Serie A this season, helping to keep a clean sheet in two of those games.
It’s believed Tottenham want to bolster their centre-back options, beyond star pair Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven.
However, they also have interest from some Premier League rivals to contend with. The report states Crystal Palace, Brighton and Everton are all keen to add the Spaniard to their ranks after some ‘impressive performances’ at Lazio.
Meanwhile, Bournemouth are said to have held talks for Gila in the summer, looking for a replacement for departed defenders Dean Huijsen and Illia Zabarnyi.
With advances already having been made by the Cherries, it’s believed a spanner could be thrown into the works of Tottenham’s pursuit.
The presence of Champions League football in north London could be a decider in Gila’s future, if a number of the aforementioned sides do go after him.
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Gila has played in the elite European competition in just one season, having to settle for Europa League and UEFA Conference League football in others.
But the 25-year-old is on the rise, as he was called up to a Spain squad earlier in the year, so if there is a chance to consistently play Champions League football and show himself at the top level, Gila might see that as a chance to push his case for full international honours.
How much he would cost remains to be seen, but with interest from a few places, the defender might well be in line for a move soon.
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