Tottenham have been linked with a surprise move for a Bundesliga defender.
With less than a week before the new 2026/27 Premier League season starts, Tottenham Hotspur still have business to do in the transfer market.
The Hotspur Way chiefs have done well to transform the squad that narrowly escaped relegation on the final day of last season, bringing in six new faces and offloading more than 10 players- either on loan or permanently. However, all the incomings have come in to boost the defence and midfield thus far.
Roberto De Zerbi remains keen to add to this forward department, with work ongoing behind the scenes to sign Manchester City winger Savinho and Liverpool star Cody Gakpo. While all the focus is on securing the signings of Savinho and Gakpo, Spurs have been surprisingly linked with a central defender.
Tottenham among clubs interested in Bayer Leverkusen defender
According to German outlet FussballDaten, Tottenham are among some Premier League clubs interested in Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba. Manchester United and Newcastle United are also in the mix, with the Premier League trio maintaining close contact with the player’s representatives to gauge his wishes and the details of a possible transfer.
Edmond Tapsoba has been a consistent performer for Bayer Leverkusen ever since arriving from Portuguese club Vitória de Guimarães in 2020. The 6 ft 4 in central defender has made over 269 appearances for the German club, netting 13 goals. The Burkina Faso international still has five years to run on his contract, yet there are talks of an exit this summer.
The report adds that Bayer Leverkusen have set a minimum €50 million starting point to negotiate for Tapsoba. If he does decide to leave Bay Arena this summer, it will be for a Premier League club. This has alerted several Premier League clubs, including Tottenham, over his potential availability.
Spurs do not need Tapsoba
De Zerbi is clearly intent on transforming Spurs’ fortunes in the upcoming season. He has emphasised creating a strong base for his team to play a possession-based, free-flowing attacking style of football, adding the likes of Robertson, Van Hecke and Senesi to his defensive roster. This has led the club to sanction the departures of several defenders, most notably Cristian Romero and Luka Vuskovic.
Romero finally sealed a switch to Atletico Madrid last week, while Vuskovic was sold to Brighton in July. Yet, Tottenham’s central defensive unit have enough quality and depth to cover for a season. With Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, Senesi and Van Hecke, De Zerbi has experienced centre-back options at his disposal, thereby making the addition of another body in that position futile. That said, the Lilywhites must not pursue Tapsoba and focus entirely on signing attackers before the September 1 transfer deadline.