Tottenham Hotspur close in on signing £29.5m Juventus attacker - but fans aren't convinced

According to reports, Spurs are on the verge of signing Juventus forward Federico Chiesa. Capable of playing both centrally and on the wing, Chiesa earns £150,000 a week at the Serie A side, and is set to cost Tottenham around £30m.

The 26-year-old has been one of the Turin side’s brightest stars in the past few years, but under manager Thiago Motta he appears to no longer be part of the club’s long-term plans. It’s thought that Tottenham are now the “only team left” interested in the Italian attacker.

Last season, Chiesa scored nine goals and bagged two assists over 33 games for the Bianconeri, but has had more prolific seasons in years gone by. Manager Motta recently said: “For now he’s Juventus player, then we will see.”

But Tottenham Hotspur journalists and bloggers are unsure as to whether Chiesa will be a good signing for the London outfit, due to the way Spurs line up and the personnel already at the club.

Writing for SpursWeb, Alex Neil said: “Chiesa is a good player but has not been at the same standard since he suffered an ACL injury against Roma in the Stadio Olimpico just over two years ago. He best operates as a winger in a 4-3-3, rather than as a second forward which does not exactly fit in with what Tottenham need right now.

“Tottenham need an out and out striker in the shape of Ivan Toney or Jonathan David to lead the frontline, rather than prioritising yet another winger.”

Hotspur HQ writer Manuel Meza added: “Federico Chiesa’s potential move to Tottenham Hotspur is generating a lot of buzz, but it also raises some doubts. While his talent is clear, there are questions about whether he will fit into Tottenham’s tactical setup and whether he can stay healthy after his injury issues.”