Udinese and Italy Under-21 international Destiny Udogie is on the verge of a move to Tottenham Hotspur, so learn more about the 19-year-old left-back.
The transfer will be a permanent one, but he should be loaned straight back to Udinese in order to see out the season in Serie A and aid his development.
Born in Verona to Nigerian parents, Franklin and Kate, little Destiny ended up training with the Nogara youth team from the tender age of four because he was crying so much at seeing his five-year-old brother Uwe with the other kids.
Picked up by the Hellas Verona academy aged nine, he made his Serie A debut at 17 against Milan in November 2020.
Loaned to Udinese with obligation to buy for €4m plus bonuses and a percentage of the sell-on fee, Udogie’s career really took off at the Dacia Arena where he contributed five goals and three assists in 35 Serie A games last season, including the goal that held Scudetto winners Milan 1-1 at San Siro and a stunner against Salernitana with his ‘weaker’ right foot.
They almost always play with a five-man midfield, so he is already well-drilled in the approach that Antonio Conte will want at Tottenham in future.
Very attack-minded, physically strong and with great pace, Udogie can whip in a cross or take the shot with his left foot.
His call-up for the senior Italy squad is only a matter of time, having represented his nation at every youth level.