Having been ‘one step away’ from Tottenham with ‘suitcases’ ready, player now enjoys ‘rebirth’

Gazzetta dello Sport report Milan Skriniar was ‘one step away’ from signing for Tottenham Hotspur in September.

The defender was repeatedly linked with a move during the last transfer window, having strangely lost prominence under Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte. Skriniar had been rated among the best centre-backs in Serie A in recent seasons, but the Italian manager didn’t appear a fan and therefore a transfer was possible.

Gazzetta state the move got so close that Skriniar was at the ‘suitcases’ stage, however, it never felt like he was eager to walk out on Inter. With Jose Mourinho keen on taking the opportunity, Tottenham struggled to agree a final deal, and that allowed the defender to fight for his place with the Milan club.

As the newspaper explain, Skriniar has since had a ‘rebirth’ at Inter, is a regular under Conte, and scored a crucial goal for the club in a 2-2 draw against AS Roma at the weekend.

He’s praised for his humility and work to overcome the unexpected setbacks under his manager. Gazzetta say the move to Tottenham failed to close due to Spurs trying to go in too low, and presumably also because of Skriniar’s determination to prove Conte wrong.