Reported Tottenham target Issa Diop of Toulouse is believed to be close to a move to Chelsea, as Antonio Conte steps up his pursuit for defensive reinforcements. The Blues seem to be ready to make a £15million move for the France U-21 international and this could be game on in the race for Issa Diop.

It was earlier reported that Spurs were watching the player closely and even sent scouts to watch the player in action. Amidst these links with the Lilywhites, Diop is now being linked to Conte’s Chelsea and it now looks like there might be a transfer war between the two English giants.

Diop has been a regular starter for Toulouse and has made 25 appearances this season, with 24 of them coming in the league. He also has 2 goals and 2 assists to his name and has been on the pitch for 2280 minutes overall.

The young defender has progressed through the ranks for club and country, representing France at Under-16, Under-17, Under-18, Under-19 and Under-21 levels. The 6ft 4in centre-half is widely regarded as one of the top most talents in French football.

Despite his young age, he seems to be at ease playing so many games and it seems like he is physically much mature than what his age might suggest. He has already played 45 games in Ligue1 and is only 20-years old.

His contract runs until 2020 and hence Toulouse are under no pressure to sell their prized asset. However, if the player’s head gets turned by the prospect of the lucrative English Premier League, then there’s little what Toulouse can do to hold on to Diop.

Our Verdict

Quite obviously, Chelsea are financially stronger than Tottenham, but the project that is in place at White Hart Lane is an impressive one and any player would want to be a part of it as it is a clear-cut opportunity to make history with the club. The mere thought of etching their name in Tottenham’s history would appeal to a player as young as Diop and hence this transfer battle is not going to be one-way traffic.

Diop is so young and so talented that he would fit in perfectly at Tottenham, than at Chelsea. This would be because Tottenham have faced difficulties at the back in the absence of Jan Vertonghen, as Eric Dier is completely looking like a fish out of water at centre-half position.

Do you think Diop would be a good addition for Tottenham? Let us know below.