Tottenham have already signed one centre-back during the January transfer window, but they are looking to add another to their ranks. And Maxime Esteve may be that player late on deadline day.
Spurs signed Kevin Danso from Lens on Sunday, following long-term injuries to Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero. Radu Dragusin has since picked up an injury too, with the news coming out on deadline day that it was an ACL and that the Romanian would miss the rest of the season.
Van de Ven returned to the first team in the Europa League win over Elfsborg on Thursday, although he was not risked in the Premier League win over Brentford on Sunday. Cristian Romero is working his way back to full fitness, but a return date is not yet known.
Danso could be thrown in for his full debut in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Liverpool on Thursday, but there may be another signing through the door by then too.
Reports from l'Equipe in France have suggested Spurs have made a €24million (£20million) bid for centre-back Esteve, who is thriving under former Tottenham player Scott Parker at Burnley. However, the Clarets are understood to want £30million to sell him.
The Clarets are third in the Championship and have lost just twice under Parker. That statistic may in itself be quite something in such a competitive league, but there is another, truly incredible statistic that will make Spurs supporters sit up and take notice.
Burnley have played 30 Championship matches this season and have conceded just nine goals, failing to concede more than once in any game so far this season. And Esteve has been central to that form.
The 22-year-old has played every single game and has only failed to play the full 90 minutes on two occasions.
Parker described the defender as "exceptional" earlier in the season. He said: "For sure we’ve got an exceptional player in Maxi and we’re going to work tirelessly with him to keep nudging him along. But he’s been brilliant for us since I’ve been here.
"He probably fits into that bracket of having a lot of work needing to be done, there’s loads of improving and fine-turning, but he’s someone that is humble and willing to improve."