As Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's future in North London continues to be thrown into doubt, Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly leading the race to sign a midfielder who would be an ideal replacement for the Dane.
Tottenham transfer news
The Lilywhites are yet to complete their first move of the summer, but Ange Postecoglou will be well aware of the need for reinforcements after his side missed out on a place in the Premier League's top four last season, with Aston Villa causing the shock of the season by qualifying for the Champions League. With that said, the Lilywhites have already been linked to a number of names.
Among those includes Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze. The England international is currently away on international duty in Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 squad but may have arguably the most important decision of his career so far when he returns to club action later this summer. The Lilywhites could certainly do with the added creative spark that Eze would bring, especially in an impressive partnership with James Maddison.
That said, before the attacking midfielder, the North London club could first turn their attention towards a replacement for Hojbjerg, who has been linked with a summer exit.
According to TuttoJuve, Spurs are now leading the race to sign Youssouf Fofana this summer in a deal that could be worth a reported €30m (£25m). The AS Monaco midfielder has also attracted the interest of Juventus, Arsenal and Manchester United but all three top clubs coulld lose out to Spurs, who may well get an ideal replacement for Hojbjerg and a player who could slot in next to Rodrigo Bentancur next season.
For just £25m too, Fofana may quickly become one of the summer's bargain buys as Spurs look to bridge the gap between themselves and Champions League qualification.
"Magnificent" Fofana could be a major upgrade on Hojbjerg
Replacing Hojbjerg with a player of Fofana's calibre is the type of deal that should take Spurs up to the level that they so desperately need to be at under Postecoglou. The Australian already showed glimpses of what he is capable of building in North London last season and with players who suit his system, he should only build on the foundations put in place during his debut campaign.
Fofana's ball recovery ability would be his most important trait under Postecoglou, with the former Celtic boss often asking his players to press high and excel in transition - something a player like Fofana knows exactly how to do.
Earning plenty of praise during his time at Monaco, Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig previously dubbed Fofana "magnificent" in 2022.
Now, it's Spurs who could benefit from Fofana's magnificence, reportedly leading the race to secure their first signing of the summer.