For the second time this summer, Juventus’ directors have dialed up Tottenham Hotspur in an attempt to bring somebody in and solve a very urgent problem.
First it was in goal, now it’s in midfield thanks to Juve’s potential deal for Franck Kessié — who has sicne returned to Atalanta after leaving Bergamo a decade ago — fell through earlier in the day on Saturday.
According to multiple reports out of Italy, Juventus are in talks with Tottenham over a loan move for Pape Matar Sarr, the 23-year-old midfielder
from Senegal who is on his way out of the London-based club before the end of the summer transfer window. We know that because Spurs manager Roberto De Zerbi confirmed that Sarr was one of a handful of players who will leave the club before next weekend’s deadline. Juventus want to sign Sarr with the same kind of terms that they brought Guglielmo Vicario to Turin on — a season-long loan deal with an option to buy next summer.
Sarr doesn’t lack for interested clubs, with Nottingham Forest, Monaco and Besiktas reportedly interested in him as well. Juventus and Tottenham are reportedly set for more talks at some point late Saturday and likely into Sunday considering how this looks to be developing.
With Tottenham focusing a good amount of their massive spending this summer on trying to improve the midfield — not like it’s worked all that well based on their first two Premier League games, though … — it’s only natural that somebody will have to exit the building as a result. And, as Tottenham try to scramble to make other things happen on the market, Sarr is clearly one of those players who can see the writing on the wall.
Sarr played in 23 games in the Premier League last season, totaling just under 1,400 minutes and recording two goals and four assists for a Tottenham squad that was both ravaged by injuries and just a total mess no matter who their manager was at the time. Sarr has been with Tottenham since 2021 when he signed from French side Metz on a deal that initially cost in the neighborhood of €15 million.
With Kessié heading to Atalanta, it’s pretty obvious that the club is now just going to target a depth option that is likely much more affordable rather than somebody who could challenge for big-time starting minutes. Who knows if that’s the right way to go — especially with Khephren Thuram’s status looking more and more uncertain — but this team needs cover in the midfield before the summer mercato ends, and apparently Sarr is next up on the list as his exit from Tottenham looks like a mere certainty.
