30 June 2023 , 11:59
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Destiny Udogie is thought to have the faith of new Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, but his agent has raised the possibility of a return to Serie A.
The Italian was signed on a deal until 2027 by Spurs last summer as a long-term prospect at full-back, with compatriot Antonio Conte apparently viewing him as being ideal in a 3-5-2 or 3-4-3. He spent last season on loan in Serie A with his old club Udinese, meanwhile, Conte was sacked from his role.
He has been replaced by Ange Postecoglou, with the Australian arriving to prompt a likely change in tactical approach - the former Celtic boss is thought to be planning a more attacking 4-3-3 system. This has been raised as a potential problem for Udogie and could prompt a move back to Serie A.
The Italy U21 international is represented by agent Stefano Antonelli, who told Sky Italia (via Sport Witness) that he was expecting his client to be in Postecoglou's plans, while also raising the prospect of a departure this summer.
Destiny Udogie was unveiled as a Spurs player last summer ((Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images))“Udogie’s story is clear. He’s from Tottenham and we’ve also had contacts in the last few days because they’ve changed the management, the coach and because they’ll play 4-3-3 and no longer 3-5-2,” he said.
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“Postecoglu is convinced of Udogie’s space, but the Italians are calling because some think he needs another step, perhaps in an Italian top club such as Juventus, AC Milan or Inter Milan.”
The input from the national team's representatives indicates high hopes for the talented full-back, but Antonelli went on to outline Spurs' intention to include the player in their pre-season plans. He went on to outline Spurs' intention to take him on their upcoming pre-season tour of Asia and the Pacific.
Destiny Udogie played for Italy's U21 side this summer ((Photo by Eóin Noonan - Sportsfile/UEFA via Getty Images))He continued: “But today I received a call from the head of the technical area who asked us to confirm the program after Italy U21 left the European championship,” Antonelli continued. “They want to take him on tour in Thailand. They guarantee us the importance of the player to date, we will evaluate everything, but he is from Tottenham.”
Udogie was part of the Italy U21 side that suffered an early elimination from the European U21 championships, but his stock remains high. Talk of a move to one of Serie A's giants confirms his value, but it remains to be seen how Postecoglou will assess his capabilities of playing in a more fluid system.
Spurs will have some decisions to make regarding the left-back role this summer, with Sergio Reguilon returning from loan and Ryan Sessegnon's suitability as a more defensive-minded full-back under question. Meanwhile, Ben Davies is still in the squad having been a left-sided centre-back under the management of Conte.