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Emma de Duve

Who is Oscar Gloukh? The 'special' Tottenham target who Antonio Conte could get the best out of

It has been a pleasantly surprising transfer window for Tottenham so far, with lots of business being done early on. Antonio Conte has already welcomed five new arrivals to his side, with more expected and three outgoings.

Spurs need new signings and more departures, to ensure the Italian has the strongest team possible, ahead of the 2022/23 season. The Lilywhites have started their pre-season schedule with a trip to South Korea, ahead of their first match on Wednesday.

Monday saw the squad get put through a gruelling training session, in the South Korean heat. This emphasised what is already known about Conte, with his tough managerial methods.

READ MORE: Antonio Conte reveals why Tottenham need Richarlison as he delivers verdict on summer transfers

Meanwhile, the transfer window continues and players from across the world are still being linked with moves to N17. One player who has been reported as a potential target is Oscar Gloukh and football.london takes a look at who he is.

Who is Oscar Gloukh?

Gloukh is an 18-year-old attacking midfielder who only made his senior debut last year. This was then followed by his first senior appearance in the Israeli Premier League in April.

The youngster has already impressed and shown great potential, for both club and country. Gloukh has made 21 national appearances for Israel, ranging from the U18s to U21s.

The Israeli international stands at 1.7m (5ft6) and according to Transfermarkt, is valued at just £450k.

Why do Tottenham want him?

Gloukh may be more of an unusual target for Tottenham, being someone without much footballing experience at all, given he is just starting out in his career. Conte has previously emphasised the need for experience in the team, but there are also a number of youngsters in the Spurs side, who could help guide a player like the Israeli.

The 18-year-old would perhaps be more of a risky transfer, with Gloukh perhaps needing more time to develop. However, if he is a player Conte and the club like, the potential he has already shown means he could quickly progress in the near future, which would spark more interest around him and increase his market value.

Therefore could now in fact be the best time for the north London club to make a move?

How would he fit in?

Reports are suggesting that it seems to be both Tottenham and Rangers who are keeping a watchful eye on the youngster. Pape Matar Sarr signed for the Lilywhites last summer and was then sent back to his former club Metz, to complete another season there, before making the move to N17.

The 19-year-old is now training with his side, before Conte will no doubt make a decision on his future. It could be that another loan spell would be beneficial and this could be a similar situation if Spurs went for Gloukh.

If the attacking midfielder did make the move to the capital this summer, his versatility could help him fit into the 52-year-old's squad. Tottenham already have a strong midfield quartet, with Yves Bissouma added to the trio of central midfield options this summer.

However there have been links to the likes of Christian Eriksen and Youri Tielemans during this window, who would provide even more of an attacking presence in the middle of the field. This is also what Gloukh could bring.

Whether Conte decides to alter the formation during some matches or not, the 18-year-old could provide more of a creative presence in that position. Of course, given his age and lack of experience, that would take some time.

Gloukh has also featured on the wing and in a number 10 role, so could allow the Italian to give him more of an opportunity. With coaching from Conte and being surrounded by players who can help guide him, it could work in Gloukh's favour. Tottenham are now building a squad which includes some older and some younger players, with those more experienced able to feed their knowledge to the youngsters.

What has been said?

A lot has already been said on the young prospect, in the last few weeks. Gloukh's father has already given his verdict on a move.

"I feel he is more ready than a couple of years ago to make the move to a big league. I see him as a player who can cope in Europe," he admitted, via HITC.

"I’m not saying he will have an easy life. He will have to compete with a lot of players for his place. (But) if it’s possible to leave, he will leave."

"He worked his hardest to get where he is. He practiced from a year old and worked with tears in his eyes. People asked me why I made life difficult for him and I said that, in time, he would go far. That was my intention," the youngster's father added. "I just tell him to have fun and do what he knows. The sky is the limit."

There is clearly a lot of hope and potential for the attacking midfielder and a move being beneficial is something former Israel international Gil Vermouth has echoed. "(Before the U19 Euros) I would have told him not to leave Maccabi Tel Aviv," he said, earlier this month.

"Do another season and then leave. Now, I would recommend he leave.

"If a club signs him and invests in him and takes him on as a project, then there is a chance of success. Gloukh is something special. He needs to examine his options, sit down with his parents and coaches, and decide," Vermouth added.

Talk also suggests that his current club, Maccabi Tel Aviv, wouldn't let him leave for less than £8million, so it is something Tottenham would have to consider. Former Spurs man, Alan Hutton, has also given his verdict on a move for Gloukh.

"It’s a difficult decision for him. Any player wants to play at the highest level. Obviously, he’s only 18, I heard that he’d lit it up for Israel in the European Championships," he told Football Insider.

"I don’t know an awful lot about him but I think when you’re talking that amount of money from Rangers, it’s going to be difficult. It’s a huge risk, it’s a huge gamble. Some of the elite teams within European football, they can maybe afford to take a bigger gamble than Rangers can.

"It has to be a sure thing if you’re that size of transfer fee so I do think it would be a risk for Rangers to go ahead and pay that sort of money, even though all indications point to him being a real talented football player," he added.

This could be a boost for Spurs as if the Scottish side can't afford the youngster or decide not to put in an offer, it could leave the door open for Conte to, if he wanted.

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