Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly added Angers goalkeeper Yahia Fofana to their list of possible replacements for the injured Guglielmo Vicario.
Ange Postecoglou's number one will be sidelined for a number of months after undergoing an operation to repair an ankle fracture he sustained in the 4-0 thrashing of Manchester City last weekend.
Vicario revealed after his operation that he had astonishingly played through the pain of a broken bone for an hour at the Etihad, having sustained the serious injury early in the first half.
While the Italian works his way back from surgery, his regular deputy Fraser Forster will serve as Tottenham's stand-in number one for at least a few weeks, starting with Thursday's 2-2 Europa League draw with Roma.
Forster made a wonder save in the dying embers of that match before Roma levelled deep into stoppage time through Mats Hummels, and the Englishman will earn a rare Premier League start at home to Fulham on Sunday.
Tottenham 'set sights' on Angers goalkeeper
While Forster guards the posts in Vicario's absence, Alfie Whiteman and Brandon Austin will serve as his backups, but the pair only have one senior Tottenham appearance between them.
Furthermore, with Forster turning 37 next year and out of contract at the end of the season, Spurs could simply fast-track their search for a successor to the ex-England international in the January window.
According to The Sun, Angers number one Fofana is a player who has caught the eye of the Lilywhites, having made a name for himself domestically and internationally since leaving Le Havre on a free transfer in 2022.
The 6ft 4in goalkeeper kept 14 clean sheets in the 2023-24 Ligue 2 season to help Les Scoistes return to the top flight, although he only has one shut-out to his name from 12 outings this season.
However, Fofana was the Ivory Coast's starting goalkeeper throughout their successful Africa Cup of Nations campaign earlier this year and has been his country's number one ever since making his debut in September 2023.
The 24-year-old is also only under contract with Angers until the end of next season, and despite his best efforts, Les Scoistes are currently on course for an immediate relegation back down to Ligue 2 as they sit second from bottom in the Ligue 1 table.
Angers may therefore have to consider letting Fofana leave in 2025 if the two parties do not agree fresh terms, although they will likely fight tooth and nail to stop their number one from departing midway through the season.
Which other goalkeepers could Spurs target in January?
Fofana is thought to be one of three young goalkeepers on Tottenham's radar for a January move, a list that also includes two EFL proteges in the shape of James Trafford (Burnley) and Anthony Patterson (Sunderland).
The report adds that a deal for Patterson would prove more feasible than Trafford, although Spurs should still not expect to land the former on the cheap as Sunderland push for Premier League promotion.