Jose Mourinho is reportedly preparing to raid his former club as he looks to sign Tottenham man Japhet Tanganga for Roma.
The 23-year-old made just 11 league appearances for Spurs last season under Antonio Conte. Having worked with Mourinho during his reign at Spurs, Tanganga is familiar with his coaching style, as is Mourinho with Tanganga’s ability. Now, the pair could be reunited as Mourinho looks to improve his Giallorossi squad.
That’s according to Italian outlet Il Tempo (print edition), who claims that Mourinho is very keen on bringing Tanganga to Roma.
The club are looking to improve their defensive options, and the 23-year-old is one of a number of centre-back options.
Another potential target is Eric Bailly, who also played under Mourinho at Manchester United.
For Tanganga, it is believed that Roma would prefer the move be a loan deal. While Tottenham are open to this, they would want an obligatory transfer fee to be included in the deal.
Roma look to hijack AC Milan deal for Japhet Tanganga
It was reported this week that AC Milan had agreed a deal ‘in principle’ for Tanganga.
The Serie A champions have also been targeting a move for the young defender, and a deal looks close to completion.
However, the one factor delaying the deal is Spurs’ demand for an obligatory transfer fee after the season-long loan.
Tottenham are believed to want AC Milan to pay £21m after the loan is completed, regardless of whether the loan move is successful.
This has delayed progress on the deal, potentially allowing Roma to swoop in.
Mourinho’s side will likely be offered the same deal as their league rivals. It is unclear whether they would be open to paying such a large sum for an unproven player.
No other clubs have made enquiries regarding Tanganga this summer, meaning the Italian clubs are now in a two-way battle for his signature.
Given Mourinho’s history with Spurs, this could help Roma have an edge in the transfer battle. However, they must still accept the £21m fee for Spurs to also be on board.
Whatever happens, it seems likely Tanganga will be moving away from Tottenham this summer.