Spurs 'leading race for Julian Velazquez transfer'

The Independiente star has a number of admirers in Serie A and Roma, Lazio and Inter Milan are all monitoring his situation.

However, they fear the 21-year-old is destined for the Premier League after Tottenham expressed an interest, reports Gazzetta dello Sport.

Velazquez is regarded as one of the most promising defenders in South American football and received his first call-up to the Argentina squad for a friendly against Paraguay last year.

He has also experienced success at club level and helped Independiente lift the Copa Sudamericana in 2010.

Spurs already have strength in depth at centre-back, with Michael Dawson, Younes Kaboul, William
Gallas, Ledley King and Ryan Nelsen in the squad, and Sebastien Bassong and Steven Caulker out on loan.

While Tottenham would seem to have more pressing priorities than another central defender in the summer transfer window, the chance to sign a rising star for a relatively small fee may prove too good to ignore.