Scouting Rumoured Tottenham Transfer Target Fredy Guarin

It has been just over a week since Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur reportedly saw a £17 million offer for Inter Milan midfielder Fredy Guarin rejected.

But just who is the Colombian midfielder attracting the Spurs' interest?

Name: Fredy Guarin

Age: 26

Club: Internazionale

The name Fredy Guarin has been known among football fans since his teenage years, with his early breakthroughs with Envigado and the Colombia Under-20 side attracting early links to some of Europe's biggest sides.

It would be in 2006, though, that Guarin's breakthrough would come. A loan move to French side Saint-Etienne saw him impress the Les Verts hierarchy, with the move quickly being made permanent.

However, he would spend just one more year in Ligue 1 before Portuguese giants FC Porto brought him into the Liga Sagres for an undisclosed fee in 2008.

Guarin would struggle to make a name for himself at the Dragao, with a number of impressive players competing for just a few midfield slots. However, with the exit of Raul Meireles and the arrival of Andre Villas-Boas as manager, Guarin's time to shine would come in the 2010-11 season.

While initially not a regular, Guarin would force himself into the now Tottenham boss's plans and help the club to a memorable treble of the Europa League, Liga Sagres and the Portuguese Cup.

Having lost his place following Villas-Boas' exit from the club, Guarin would quickly secure a loan move away from the club in January 2012—joining Inter Milan.

While not overly impressive, Guarin had done enough to secure a future at the San Siro, with his move made permanent last summer for a fee of €11 million.

Style of Play

Right up until joining Inter Milan, Guarin was known as a skilled and powerful box-to-box midfielder. From this position, his stamina and passing ability made him a useful presence in both attack and defence.

However, over the past year, Guarin's role has changed somewhat under manager Andrea Stramaccioni. Rather than playing deeper in the midfield, the Colombian has instead been used as a No. 10.

His role in Stramaccioni's Inter side is examined here by Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe, who explains how Guarin adapted his skill set to perform higher up the pitch.

Not a typical attacking midfield playmaker, Guarin operates in the role similarly to Manchester City's Yaya Toure. His power when driving at the defence makes him a difficult player to stop, while he also allows the side to pressure from the front.

His presence comes at the cost of creativity. However, with Inter's strikers Antonio Cassano and Rodrigo Palacio known for their movement rather than physical prowess, he adds balance to the attack.

Should he have arrived at Tottenham, though, it is likely that he would have reverted to his former role that he played so effectively under Villas-Boas.

How Would He Fit In?

In adding a box-to-box midfielder, as Villas-Boas seems keen to do, it is likely that he will seek to revert to a 4-3-3 style formation that served him so well in Portugal.

In doing so, he could utilise his new midfield option alongside both Sandro and Moussa Dembele in midfield, while handing the creative responsibilities to his side's three attacking players.

While the setup may eliminate the presence of an imaginative No. 10 figure, it offers solidity in the centre of midfield and an attacking unit built upon power and pace.

Next season will be a big test of Villas-Boas, as he begins to make the Tottenham squad his own. In that respect, it will be no surprise if he seeks to use a formation he has been successful with in the past.

Will the Move Happen?

At this stage, it would appear unlikely. With the club's approach for Guarin having been rejected last week, Tottenham have since moved quickly to submit a £17 million bid for Corinthians star Paulinho.

With the bid having met Paulinho's release clause, it now just remains for the club to agree to terms with the player.

Early indications, though, are good. He was widely reported on Tuesday as saying:

"

It's a great pleasure to be linked to such a great club like Tottenham. They have a reputation as one of the great clubs in England who play exciting, attacking football which suits my style. I couldn't turn them down if they made it made me an offer. It would be a great pleasure to play for Tottenham.

"

In that context, and given an already high price for Guarin's signature, it would seem unlikely that they will revisit any interest for the Colombian any time soon.

Unless any other interest emerges, it would seem likely that Guarin will once more line up at the San Siro next campaign.