Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly had two bids rejected for Middlesbrough full-back Djed Spence, who is currently on loan at Nottingham Forest and has been a reported target of north London rivals Arsenal.
A right wing-back has been on the agenda for Antonio Conte and technical director Fabio Paratici, who are eager to build a squad that suits Conte's back-three system.
Matt Doherty has underwhelmed since his move from Wolves, while Emerson was only brought to the club in the summer, meaning reinforcements at the position would be welcomed.
Spurs also pursued Wolves' Adama Traore for much of the January transfer window, with a view of using him as a winger and wing-back. The Spaniard eventually signed with Barcelona instead, leaving Tottenham searching for alternatives.
It seems, though, that Spence will not be one of the targets brought to the club.
As reported by ESPN, Middlesbrough have rejected two bids from Tottenham for Spence. The bids, the report says, came last week, but neither met Boro's £15 million valuation of Spence.
It says Spence has attracted interest from across Europe, including at Arsenal and an unnamed German club, and the 21-year-old is expected to resolve his future in the summer, not in January.
Before the window, Conte expressed the need to improve the talent in the Spurs squad. "After only two weeks, I said we need to improve the quality of the squad," Conte said at a news conference.
""For sure we need to improve the quality of the squad. I was sure after seven days, 10 days, two weeks about this. And then I make the evaluation who are the players I can count on and the players I can't count [on].
"This squad needs to improve the quality but it is important before to think something [about] a different place in UEFA [Champions League, Europa League] or Conference League. This league, the level is very high and now you are in the middle.
"You have to think to build something important, for this reason I ask for patience and time. In this moment, the gap is very large and we need to work a lot and also to try to build and improve the quality of the squad.
"For sure, now the situation is more clear than before. I am waiting to have a meeting with the club and then also to give my opinion about the squad and what I think about our situation."
