Tottenham may be able to close Maghnes Akliouche’s signing from Monaco before 1 September.
Daniel Levy has ramped up efforts in the window after missing out on Morgan Gibbs-White, while James Maddison sustained an ACL injury against Newcastle.
Initially, the Lilywhites were not actively looking for another winger. But after legend Son Heung-min transferred to LAFC, finding a replacement has become vital.
Akliouche is the latest player to make Spurs’ shortlist, and Monaco may have provided cause for optimism.
Monaco wants to keep Akliouche for another summer
Tottenham are interested in Akliouche as an alternative to Manchester City winger Savinho.
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Spurs were keen to strike a deal for both Eberechi Eze and Savinho this summer, but it seems only the former will arrive at Hotspur Way. With Man City blocking the Brazilian’s transfer, the Frenchman has emerged as the latest option.
Monaco are not keen to part with the winger this summer, but their sporting director has given cause for optimism.
On 14 August, during a press conference, Thiago Scuro said: “I’ve said it from the very beginning, Maghnes is a truly special player, a unique talent. He is well settled in Monaco, so there’s no pressure on anyone to make a move regarding his situation.
“We hope to show him that it would be in his best interest to stay at least one more season with AS Monaco. There are still two weeks left in the transfer window, so we’ll see what happens. But our ambition is to keep him with us in Monaco.”
This indicates that negotiations could begin if a sizeable offer is tabled. With Man City demanding a big-money sum for Savinho, Tottenham may be inclined to splash what they had set aside for the Brazilian on the Frenchman.
Would Akliouche be a good investment for Tottenham?
Akliouche is a promising Ligue 1 talent. Last season in the league, he provided five goals and 10 assists for the French outfit.
In addition to this, he created 49 chances and had a 50 per cent dribble success rate. The winger is a huge creative threat who uses a combination of pace, efficiency and flair to break down defences.
However, he may not be the right man to arrive at Tottenham this summer. This is mostly because he is best placed on the right wing. His arrival would see Mohammed Kudus pushed into the centre despite his strong form on the right.
Savinho, on the other hand, has had several impressive games on the left. Therefore, Spurs may need to go back to the drawing board on this one.