Juventus are lining up a January move for Destiny Udogie, and Tottenham have already made the 23-year-old left-back available.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Italy international is a strong contender for the left-back spot in Turin this winter, and things could start moving in the next few weeks.
There is one catch. The Serie A side can only afford a loan, with an option or a conditional obligation to buy, and they want any fee pushed back to the summer of 2027.
Why has Udogie fallen down the pecking order?
Udogie was a regular at Spurs, but things have changed under Roberto De Zerbi. Andrew Robertson has been the manager’s first-choice left-back this season, and that has limited Udogie to just two league starts.
He has made only two appearances since the last international break. Reports in Italy earlier this week said he had asked De Zerbi for more minutes, and that he wants to move elsewhere if they aren’t available in north London.
With Robertson chasing a record of his own with Scotland over this break, as we covered in our guide to where Tottenham’s internationals are playing in November, there is little sign of that order changing soon.
Destiny Udogie to Juventus: what the Old Lady want
Andrea Cambiaso and Juan Cabal are Juve’s current options on the left, and the club want to strengthen the position in January.
Udogie is not the only name on the list. Manchester City’s Rayan Aït-Nouri, Barcelona defender Alejandro Balde and Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot are also being looked at. Balde is a familiar name here too, with Spurs weighing him up as Barcelona hold out for €40m while his agent pushes a January loan.
The Spurs man is seen as the best option for several reasons. Juventus CEO Giovanni Carnevali wants to build a solid defence around Italian players, and Udogie fits that plan. The club also have to sell some players to balance the books before they can sign a left-back.
A well-used route between Turin and London
The two clubs already know each other well. Juventus took Guglielmo Vicario and Pape Matar Sarr on loan from Tottenham in the summer, with a conditional obligation attached.
The Italian paper describes the talks as early, but says the Bianconeri will prepare the deal with a very clear plan. The hard part will be a delicate negotiation to bring the price down to something Juve can afford, and a structure that delays the payment until summer 2027.
What is Udogie worth to Tottenham?
Spurs paid €18m to sign Udogie from Udinese in 2022, and a year later he signed an extension running until 2030.
That long contract puts De Zerbi’s side in a strong position. They can make a profit on him, and they have no reason to rush into a straight loan that leaves them carrying the risk.
Is a Juventus loan the right move for Udogie?
For the player, it makes sense. He is 23, an Italy international, and stuck behind Robertson at a time when he needs to be playing every week. A return to Serie A with a club that wants him as a starter is hard to argue with.
For Tottenham, the details matter more than the destination. If Spurs let him go, it has to be with a firm obligation to buy and a fee that reflects the long contract, not an option Juventus can walk away from next summer. The Vicario and Sarr deals show the two clubs can do business, but this one should be done on Tottenham’s terms.
There is also a squad question. With Udogie gone, Robertson would need cover at left-back, and that is where Balde’s name could come back into play. If you want to know what he would bring, read our Alejandro Balde scouting report.
