Roma reportedly want to lure Tottenham Hotspur target Domenico Criscito back to Italy.
According to Il Messaggero, the Serie A heavyweights have set their sights on a bid for the Zenit St Petersburg defender, with director of football Walter Sabatini said to have been in contact with his representatives.
The 27-year-old has only two years remaining on his current contract but the report claims a potential exit could be complicated by his salary expectations, as Roma are unlikely to better the lucrative terms he enjoys in Russia.
Instead the Italy international could hold on for the final 24 months of his arrangement in favour of securing a big-money free transfer switch with a hefty signing-on fee.
Roma remain hopeful of convincing him to return to his homeland and are believed to be ready to part with around £10million to get their man.
A source close to White Hart Lane told Football Express News the north London outfit have been monitoring the situation closely and are aware that Criscito’s wage demands represent the biggest stumbling block.
Chairman Daniel Levy and director of football Franco Baldini, who is in charge of player recruitment at Spurs, are keen to back new head coach Mauricio Pochettino in the transfer market after handing him a five-year deal to revive the club’s fortunes.