Tottenham Hotspur are facing the prospect of losing out on another signing due to the club's reluctance to meet an asking price.
This summer alone, the Lilywhites have hit several stumbling blocks with their transfer business. According to Wolfsburger Allgemeine, target Micky van de Ven will now cost £40 million, with Spurs reluctant to pay such a fee – similarly to how they refused to shell out the same amount for David Raya, as per the Mail.
Similar reports have emerged in recent years, too. In 2020, The Mail also claimed that Milan Skriniar's move to Tottenham was a victim of the north Londoners failing to meet a £52m valuation, while the summer before, Sport Witness collated reports from Portugal that Tottenham's failure to land Bruno Fernandes wasn't due to not triggering the release clause – but to not offering Sporting enough up front to make a move happen.
Now, lightning could well strike once more. According to The Sun, Tottenham’s move for teenager Ashley Phillips is in jeopardy after Blackburn Rovers hiked the asking price up on the defender.
Included in FFT's list of the most exciting teenagers in the world to watch in 2023, Phillips has shown impressive development at Ewood Park and looks set for a rise to the Premier League at some point. At just 18, the centre-back is 6ft 4 and assured on and off the ball.
Phillips has reportedly already had a medical at Tottenham but now, the move is hanging by a thread, with Rovers wanting add-ons and bonuses for their homegrown superstar.
And while some will applaud Spurs chairman Daniel Levy for not caving to the Lancashire side's demands, others will wonder how many more top players are set to slip through the net for a perceived "stinginess".
Tottenham are said to also be in the market for Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen.
Phillips is valued by Transfermarkt to be worth €2m.
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Meanwhile, former striker Teddy Sheringham reckons that, "No Tottenham fan would begrudge him the opportunity to win trophies with another club".
Tottenham transfer news is also ramping up, with Ange Postecoglou now confirmed as manager. Roger Ibanez has been linked, as has Liverpool no.2 Caoimhin Kelleher and long-time target Paolo Dybala.
