Tottenham and Brentford are locked in battle to sign African talent.
Tottenham Hotspur are hoping to start the new season on a positive note as the club aims to compete at the top end of the Premier League table. A lot of money has been spent to revamp the squad after the disaster of last term, with the club bosses adding six new faces to Roberto De Zerbi’s squad.
The signings of central midfielders Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes have created a lot of buzz within the fanbase. Tonali recently revealed that it took him only 10 minutes to decide to become a part of De Zerbi’s project, while Fernandes notably rejected Manchester United to join Spurs.
However, the hefty investment in the duo have led to uncertain futures for some players in the squad. Chief among them is Lucas Bergvall. The Swedish talent wants to leave N17 for a club that will guarantee him regular minutes to develop. The midfielder feels he will not get regular opportunities under De Zerbi in the upcoming season and remains keen on a change of environment.
Should Bergvall depart amid interest from a host of Premier League clubs, there is a big possibility that the Lilywhites end up recruiting a third midfielder this summer.
Tottenham eye move for Genclerbirligi talent
Tottenham had reportedly scouted Genclerbirligi talent Ousmane Diabate earlier this year. The scouts have been impressed by the teenager’s technical ability, calmness in possession, reading of the game and maturity. This has led the Lilywhites to formalise their interest in the teenager.
According to a report from The Daily Mail, Tottenham are interested in signing Ousmane Diabate but face competition from London rivals Brentford. Following Jordan Henderson’s exit, Brentford want to add two new central midfielders to their ranks before the September 1 transfer deadline.
The Bees have already inched closer to agreeing a deal for RC Lens midfielder Mamadou Sangare, and their next target could be Diabate. The teenager moved to Genclerbirligi last summer from Académie SOAR and enjoyed a decent debut season in Turkish football. He ended up making 17 appearances, scoring a goal.
A defensive midfielder by trade, the Guinean excels in breaking up play and recycling possession. Following the departures of Joao Palhinha and Yves Bissouma, Tottenham are lacking such a profile in the middle of the park. Archie Gray is a top talent, but ball-winning isn’t really his forte, so there is space for Diabate in De Zerbi’s squad. As far as Brentford are concerned, Keith Andrews would love such a prodigious talent with high potential, potentially complementing Sangare in the engine room.
It remains to be seen whether Tottenham step up their interest in Diabate and beat Brentford to his signature.