Spurs interest in 19yo Italian winger

Vittorio Parigini may not be a name on many people's lips, certainly not in the UK. He is a 19-year-old (20 in March) Italian midfielder plying his trade in Serie B at Perugia, om loan from Torino.

He has played for Italy from Under-16 level to Under-21 level, picking up his first cap at that level and his first goal, against Ireland in October. That was a 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship game. He was a part of the side that won a silver medal at the UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship in Slovakia in 2013 and he played in the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

He is an attacking midfielder or winger or secondary striker so he has the versatility Mauricio Pochettino looks for in players. He is right-footed so his inverted position would be on the left, the same role that Andros Townsend is perhaps vacating very soon, although he can play either side. Currently, he plays on the right and has been compared in style to, thankfully not labelled as the next, Maxi Rodriguez.

His strengths are his pace, acceleration, dribbling, creativity, versatility, technique and crossing. He favours dribbling, cutting inside and swapping flanks so has the interchangeability aspect to his play that is required by our front four. Crucially he likes to get into the opposition box when he can, something Lamela has added to his game this season from his previous two. It may be as an inverted winger that Pochettino sees his potential future as. He was moved wide when previously he had been an attacker.

He joined the Torino youth academy at 10 and stood out as a talent. He has physical strength and explosiveness which can help create something out of nothing. This season he has 4 goals and 1 assist in 989 minutes of football.

He is another player we are looking at to add to the quality of our development Squad, all players we can introduce into the first team when the demonstrate the right qualities and there is an opportunity. A conveyor belt of talent needs the talent to go in one end to come out the other and by signing a 17-year-old we could get him qualified as home grown in three years.

In an interview with Goal Italia, his agent Giorgio Parretti confirmed the Tottenham interest but said his client won't be moving in January.

"It is pleasing to the involvement of a prestigious club like Tottenham, Vittorio right now is focused on his present at Perugia, always considering his long-term contract with Torino. Currently it is premature to talk about the market, in June we'll have a dialogue with his club and evaluate the situation."