The Fiorentina defender Michael Kayode has been picked by Tottenham as Emerson Royal's successor, according to Rome-based media publication Corriere dello Sport. It is implied that Fiorentina needs "at least 20 million Euros" to keep Kayode on staff beyond this summer. Kayode, who turned 20 last month, played 26 league games for Fiorentina last season and six in the UEFA Conference League, where the Florence team finished second for the second consecutive year.
Zach Lowy, a European football specialist, called the 20-year-old Patrick Dorgu, who has also been linked to Spurs this summer, one of the biggest discoveries in Serie A during the 23–24 season. Kayode has three Italy U21 caps. He skipped the U20s and proceeded straight from the U19s to the U21s due to his quick growth and development. Similar to Dorgu, Kayode may represent Nigeria as a player thanks to his parents.