Looking to make a return to Champions League qualification, one BBC pundit has reportedly heard that Tottenham Hotspur could yet hijack Manchester United's move to seal one of the deals of the summer in the Premier League.
Tottenham transfer news
The Lilywhites have already re-signed Timo Werner on loan ahead of a vital second season under Ange Postecoglou, who will be well aware of the improvements needed to his current squad. The Spurs boss saw a lack of depth eventually catch up to his side in a dismal end to the season, which resulted in the wheels falling off the North London side's top-four push.
Whilst an official new arrival after Werner is yet to appear, the headlines have been making for positive reading. Spurs have already been linked with the likes of Jonathan David and Euro 2024 star Riccardo Calafiori. The latter is a particularly popular name this summer, having also reportedly attracted interest from Liverpool, Manchester United and others. But he's not the only defender seemingly on the Spurs radar.
According to the BBC's Alan Hutton, speaking to Football Insider, Spurs could hijack Manchester United's move to sign Jarrad Branthwaite this summer. The Red Devils have already opened negotiations with Everton over their star, seeing a reported £43m bid knocked down with the Toffees holding out for their £80m price tag. Hutton has "heard" the Lilywhites could yet swoop in, however.
He told Football Insider: "I feel at times [Tottenham] have been light in that sense, actually across the back four. When you look at their starting back line, if any of them get injured or go missing for a good length of time, the players that come in aren’t quite up to the standard. To have someone in the door with that potential who could be a regular starter for England moving forward, that could be a great deal.
"He did really well last season, and there are talks [Cristian] Romero could be on the move, so there’s a few things in the pipeline that might lead towards them going for someone like [Branthwaite], and him filling that void at centre-half. I have heard there could be a hijack there, from people I speak to at the club.”
Branthwaite move would take Spurs up a level
If Spurs are looking to bridge the remaining gap on the Premier League's top four and potentially more under Postecoglou, then they're certainly looking in the right direction towards Branthwaite. The Everton star, still just 21 years old, may have another level to reach but even this current version of him would star alongside Romero in North London.
Question marks would come over where Branthwaite's arrival would leave Micky van de Ven, but that's the type of competition for places that should ultimately push a side on, with both players reaching new levels in an attempt to win their place under Postecoglou.