Tottenham have joined the race for £76 million French international defender Jules Kounde – although they may have to see off moneybags Paris Saint-Germain.
Although Spurs head coach Antonio Conte's summer trolley dash is well advanced, with four players signed and a fifth, Djed Spence, likely to join the payroll from Middlesbrough, he remains in the market for a dominant centre-back.
And after running into brick walls in his efforts to land Alessandro Bastoni from his old club Inter Milan, Conte has stayed in the race for Kounde, who has a £76m release clause at Seville.
Chelsea were the early favourites to land Kounde, but they have since switched their attention to Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly – and Tottenham have jumped towards the front of the queue.
Although Spurs are unlikely to match PSG's financial terms, Kounde may regard Conte's project as a more intriguing challenge than the finite competition of Ligue 1.
Reports from across the Channel suggest Kounde's preference is a Premier League club, and although Newcastle are also interested, Tottenham's trump card – Champions League football next season – could prove decisive.
Pervis on the radar
According to AS, Villarreal left-back Pervis Estupinan is a Tottenham target - and could be available for a modest £18 million.
Spurs have been in touch with the former Watford defender's representatives, and with Conte prepared to let Sergio Reguilon leave north London this summer, the Ecuador international would be a quality replacement.
Estupinan left Vicarage Road without making a competitive appearance for the Hornets, who would be due a sell-on clause if Spurs turned their interest into a concrete transfer. But the 24-year-old was highly-rated at Watford, and he was a regular starter in Villarreal's run to the Champions League semi-finals last term.
Bremer price tag set
Brazilian defender Gleison Bremer, who has been linked with Tottenham this summer, has been told he can leave Torino.
But the Italian club's president, Urbano Cairo, has warned it will take more than £59 million to part company with him. Bremer has become one of Europe's most-coveted players after he won Serie A’s award for best defender last season.
According to 90min, a high-powered delegation from Turin travelled to England to try and start a bidding war between Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea. But Conte – who admires Bremer's defensive qualities – is thought to be reluctant to meet Cairo's asking price.
