Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing AS Roma star Mile Svilar, as per Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport.
After running his contract down with SL Benfica, the 26-year-old decided to join the Giallorossi as a free agent back in 2022 and has now established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in Serie A.
He was the Italian top flight’s best goalkeeper last term, keeping 19 clean sheets across all competitions. He even helped his side qualify for the Europa League by finishing in fifth place.
This season, the Serbian has continued to display impressive performances, keeping 13 clean sheets in 30 appearances in all tournaments. He has been guiding Gian Piero Gasperini’s side to mount a top-four charge, sitting third in the league with 43 points from 22 matches.
Now, while citing and translating the print version of Gazzetta dello Sport, Sport Witness report that Tottenham have registered their interest in signing Svilar after being impressed by his recent eye-catching performances and could make a concrete approach.
However, having recently tied him down to a fresh term until 2030, Roma aren’t in any rush to sell him and want around £61m if they are forced to cash-in before next week’s transfer deadline.
Apart from the Lilywhites, Chelsea are also interested in Svilar to upgrade the last line of defence. Moreover, Bayern Munich are keen on him as a potential long-term replacement for Manuel Neuer.
Battle
AFC Bournemouth have also expressed their interest in him, but are currently outsiders in this race. However, their President of Football Operations, Tiago Pinto, could play a key role in persuading him to join, having previously worked at Roma for three years.
The report state that Sviler is highly unlikely to leave in mid-season, so Chelsea or Tottenham would only be able to seal the deal at the end of this campaign.
Guglielmo Vicario has been the North London club’s first-choice goalkeeper option but has struggled to showcase consistency this season, making several high-profile errors.
On the other hand, Robert Sanchez has been Chelsea’s main goalkeeper, but he has also failed to showcase consistency, while the backup option, Filip Jorgensen, is said to be keen on leaving, having struggled to find regular game time.
Svilar, standing at 6ft 3in tall, is a highly talented player and is still very young. So, he might be a shrewd acquisition for Arsenal or Chelsea should either club eventually manage to secure his service.
