/https://sportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net/24/33/yves-bissouma.jpg "Spurs 'on notice' for £8.4m Bissouma replacement, but they - Sports Mole")
Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly been alerted to the performances of a highly-rated 20-year-old midfielder who Inter Milan let go in the summer, but they must act fast to secure a deal.
The Lilywhites reinforced their engine room with the loan signing of Joao Palhinha last summer, and there is every indication that the Bayern Munich-owned Portuguese will be signed permanently.
Furthermore, Rodrigo Bentancur recently signed a new long-term contract in the English capital, where Thomas Frank also has Pape Sarr and Lucas Bergvall at his disposal in the middle of the pitch.
However, the Europa League winners are expected to wave goodbye to Yves Bissouma next year, as the Mali international has entered the final 12 months of his contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Bissouma has not even made a competitive appearance for Frank due to a combination of disciplinary and fitness problems, but the former Brighton & Hove Albion man's exit on a free transfer looks increasingly inevitable.
Tottenham 'on notice' for talented Club Brugge midfielder
The North London giants may have found a youthful replacement for Bissouma, as Italian outlet Gazzetta claims that they are 'on notice' for Club Brugge's talented 20-year-old lynchpin Aleksandar Stankovic.
The 2005-born midfielder is the son of former Inter star Dejan Stankovic, who won the 2009-10 Champions League title with the Nerazzurri, but he will not be following in his father's footsteps as things stand.
Aleksandar Stankovic was sold to Brugge for £8.4m during the summer transfer window and has quickly settled in Belgium, scoring one goal from 21 appearances in a defensive midfield role and impressing against Barcelona in the Champions League.
The 6ft 1in midfielder has also forced his way into the senior Serbia side thanks to his displays in Belgium, playing 51 minutes of the Eagles' 2-0 loss to England in Thursday's World Cup 2026 Qualifying clash at Wembley.
Tottenham are one of two Premier League clubs said to have been alerted to the rise of Aleksandar Stankovic, who has also caught Newcastle United's eye, but there is a catch to a potential 2026 move.
Why Spurs are unlikely to win transfer race for Aleksandar Stankovic
While still a teenager at Inter Milan, Stankovic's path to the first team was blocked by the likes of Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and he left San Siro without making a single senior appearance.
However, 36-year-old Mkhitaryan is out of contract at the end of the season, while Calhanoglu's long-term future is also the topic of uncertainty after the 31-year-old was heavily linked with a switch to Turkey during the most recent transfer window.
Planning for life without Mkhitaryan and Calhanoglu, Inter reportedly inserted a buyback clause into Aleksandar Stankovic's Brugge deal, and the Nerazzurri can re-sign the 20-year-old for â¬23m (£20.3m) from July 1, 2026.
If Inter decide against bringing the Serbia international back next summer, they can pay â¬25m (£22.1m) to activate the clause in 2027, and the report states that his return to San Siro is 'almost a given'.
As a result, if Spurs are serious about bringing the midfielder to the Premier League, they will seemingly have to make their move in January before Inter's buyback clause kicks in.