Tottenham are set to submit a formal £40million transfer bid for James Maddison, according to reports.
It's claimed Spurs chiefs are "ramping up" interest in the Leicester playmaker but the initial offer is thought to be some £20m short of Maddison's valuation.
The Telegraph reports Ange Postecoglou's side are keen to secure a deal for Maddison, 26, but there could be a stumbling block in negotiations.
Leicester are reportedly demanding up to £60m for Maddison with Spurs instead proposing a £40m up-front fee with add-ons and instalments down the line.
Newcastle had been credited with an interest in Maddison, however with a transfer deal for Sandro Tonali nearing completion Spurs could have a free shot to land the midfielder.
And the report suggests Tottenham will step up negotiations this week with a first offer ready to be submitted to Leicester.
Tottenham have further been linked with Leicester winger Harvey Barnes, Juventus defender Gleison Bremer and Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire.
Meanwhile, Postecoglou could be set for behind-the-scenes transfer chaos at Tottenham Hotspur.
It remains to be seen who Postecoglou will bring in, but a report has now suggested that he may face a battle to get the targets he wants.
Football London say former director of football Fabio Paratici is still guiding the Premier League giants on a consultancy basis after officially leaving the club in April.
The Italian was forced to step aside after being given a worldwide ban for his role in allegations of false accounting at Juventus.
FIFA have since lifted parts of Paratici's ban and as a result he is allowed to work in a consultancy capacity for Spurs with regard to transfers.
A FIFA statement explained: "FIFA has upheld the appeal presented by Fabio Paratici against the provision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee which, in extending the temporary inhibition imposed by the FIGC worldwide, extended it to a ban on taking part in any activity linked to football.
"Paratici, assisted before FIFA by a team of lawyers made up of Paolo Lombardi, Luca Pastore and Ian Laing, will therefore be able to continue working in the world of football, albeit with reduced duties compared to those carried out to date, in compliance with the limits imposed by the sanction imposed by the FIGC."
