Tottenham Hotspur are already ahead of the game in the transfer window after completing deals for Fraser Forster and Ivan Perisic upon the expiry of their contracts at Southampton and Inter Milan this month, but they are now looking to splash the cash on a marquee signing.
And it is Perisic's teammate, Alessandro Bastoni, who Antonio Conte is keen on bringing to north London this summer as he looks to bolster his defensive options, although he faces a tough battle in order to do so.
As a result, Spurs are now lining up a £43 million swoop for 'plan B' Gleison Bremer if they fail to land Bastoni, as they look to waste no time in preparing for next season.
According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, via the Express, Spurs are ready to offer up to £43m for Serie A Defender of the Year Bremer, who was exceptional with Torino this season and has attracted plenty of attention from top clubs across Europe as a result.
The Brazilian was part of the fifth best defence in Italy this season, despite finishing 10th, as they conceded just 41 goals in 38 games, with Bremer contributing towards eight clean sheets throughout the campaign in his 33 Serie A appearances. He also recorded three goals and one assist.
The 25-year-old is now destined for a move away from the Turin-based club this summer, and the report mentions that Inter are the current front runners, although Torino want double the £21m fee that has been offered - of which Spurs are reportedly happy to oblige.
Could Tottenham pull of the signing of Alessandro Bastoni this summer? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
But the reason that the Lilywhites are lining up their £43m bid for Bremer is because of the difficulties of which they are having in luring Bastoni away from the San Siro outfit, as the Italian is reportedly not keen on leaving the Nerazzurri so early on in his career.
Bastoni has enjoyed three seasons at Inter since joining from Atalanta in 2017, having spent his first two campaigns out on loan, and is keen on remaining with the club for much longer, despite making almost 120 appearances and winning three trophies.
As well as this, he was also part of the national side that won Euro 2020 last summer, although it is not like he needs to focus on what club would give him the best chance of making their World Cup squad after they failed to qualify for the tournament in Qatar.
At just 23-years-old, Bastoni more than likely feels he is still in the developing stage of his career and believes that the best chance to continue his progression is in his home land with the 2021-22 Serie A runners-up, although moving to Spurs would give him the chance to reunite with Conte.
But Spurs aren't counting on this and Bremer has now risen up their priority list as a result. Cristian Romero, Eric Dier and Ben Davies formed a respectable back three in the second half of last season but the Brazilian would certainly help to improve that defence as they prepare for Champions League football.
Bastoni is more preferable as a left-sided centre back, but Bremer's dominant and no-nonsense displays still make him an impressive addition to Tottenham 's backline, while a big move will strengthen his credentials for a place in Brazil's World Cup squad in Qatar.