Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly opened talks with another target, as technical director Johan Lange begins work on their potential third summer signing after Mathys Tel and Kota Takai.
Spurs look ready to back new manager Thomas Frank with fresh squad upgrades ahead of his first full season in charge, and Tel's £30 million permanent switch from Bayern Munich was reportedly approved by the Dane himself.
Frank will also soon welcome J League sensation Takai after chairman Daniel Levy green-lit a £5 million deal to sign the 20-year-old defender from Kawasaki Frontale, which stands as a record fee for any Japanese player from that division.
Tottenham signed Takai to compete as a first-team player, hoping that he's set to follow a similar trajectory to the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Destiny Udogie and Pape Sarr (Alasdair Gold), so supporters can expect to see him in and around the senior matchday squads next term.
Frank has a proven track record of developing young players into major talents, and the 51-year-old is excited to work with his "very talented" new roster.
“It’s a very talented squad, a very good squad and I’m very excited to start working with them,” said Frank in his first interview with the club.
"Of course, when you follow the Premier League, you see the other teams, you see Tottenham - you’ve seen some fantastic performances from the team over the last years. So, I think there’s big potential.
"But, of course, I’m looking from the outside, so I’m looking forward to getting to know them, to be around them, to feel them, understand them, work with them on the training pitch. That’s where you really get the big understanding, understand the relationships between players and how you can get the best out of them.
"I’ve got an idea already, my head is spinning [with] how can we play, how do I put them together, but I’m looking forward to that."
Tottenham in talks with Kyle Walker-Peters
In the last week, Spurs have been repeatedly linked with a swoop for ex-defender Kyle Walker-Peters, who's now officially leaving Southampton as a free agent at the end of this month.
The 28-year-old has made over 200 appearances for Southampton since leaving Spurs for St. Mary's in 2020, and he'd bring some much-needed experience to Frank's otherwise very youthful squad.
Tottenham also need more club-trained players to fill their Champions League quota, and Walker-Peters fits the bill considering he came through the Hotspur Way academy.
Now, as per Graeme Bailey in a piece for TBR Football, Lange has personally "started work" on bringing the Englishman back to N17.
It is believed Tottenham have opened talks with Walker-Peters over re-joining on a free, with the full-back keen on potentially making a return to his boyhood club as he looks to secure a move back to the Premier League, following his relegation on the south coast last season.