Tottenham Hotspur are clearly making plans for the summer transfer window.
The club clearly need to reinforce Jose Mourinho’s squad after a season in which they have flattered to deceive somewhat in the top-flight.
They are unlikely to be playing Champions League football next season and sat 11 points behind fourth-placed Leicester City prior to their encounter with AFC Bournemouth on Thursday.
New signings are required if Mourinho’s men are to challenge for the top-four next season or potentially look to fight Liverpool and Manchester City for the Premier League title.
To that end, Football Insider reports that talks are underway with a potential acquisition in the summer transfer window.
Indeed, Mourinho has clearly identified those players who he wants to recruit in the coming transfer window.
And it appears that there could well be some early activity as the campaign winds down.
The report states that Spurs have begun negotiations with Southampton to sign midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
The 24-year-old is the manager’s top target in central midfield, and Spurs have been told that he is open to a move away from St Mary’s Stadium.
The report also states that Spurs could seal a deal for the Denmark international or a fee of £20 million, despite him previously being valued at £25m in the January transfer window.
Tottenham may need to sell players to be able to finance the deal, however.
GIVEMESPORT’S Harry Sherlock says…
The earlier Spurs move, the longer they will have to negotiate a potential deal.
In this instance, initiating contact with Southampton in July, before the window is even open, allows Spurs the flexibility to discuss how best they finance a transfer.
There is also the possibility of offering players in a swap deal – Kyle Walker-Peters, for example, is already at St Mary’s on loan and could be offered in exchange along with a fee.
This is a smart negotiating tactic and also negates the ability for another club to come in and try to gazump them.
It makes it all the more likely that Hojbjerg will end up in north London.