James Maddison’s recent ACL injury has thrown a spanner in the works for Tottenham in the last few days.
The midfielder was stretchered off in the recent friendly against Newcastle, and it has now been confirmed that he will be spending a lengthy period on the sidelines.
Harvey Elliott has been outlined as a potential replacement for the Spurs star, as the Liverpool youngster looks destined to depart the champions this summer.
Thomas Frank will be keen to bring in a new face to fill the void left by Maddison’s injury, and he may well have now found that man.
This article includes exclusive comment from former Tottenham scout Bryan King.
MORE SPURS STORIES
Spurs tipped to hijack Leipzig deal for Elliott amid £50m claim
Tottenham’s pursuit of Elliott has now become even more urgent, following the news that RB Leipzig have agreed personal terms over a four-year contract.
Jurgen Klopp has been instrumental in the Bundesliga side’s pursuit of the midfielder, as part of his new role as Red Bull’s Global Head of Soccer.
However, while the German team are the frontrunners to secure his signature, they are yet to agree a deal with Liverpool, who are demanding a fee of around £50million to open the exit door, according to the print edition of the Sunday Mirror (10 August, pg. 70).
Ex-Spurs scout Bryan King – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes Elliott could be a perfect fit for the Lilywhites, and has backed them to swoop in and meet Liverpool’s asking price.
“I think Tottenham would be the best bet for him (Elliott),” King said.
“I would imagine that he’ll be wanting to push on towards a full England cap, and the only way he’s going to get that is by playing regular football, and Spurs can offer him that.
“He’s a quality player. That’s the kind of player that Spurs have got to be looking at.
“I would imagine that £50m is certainly the figure that Tottenham would have to pay, potentially with some add-ons if he were to get into the full England team.”
Elliott would be a great investment for Tottenham
There can be no doubt about the fact that Elliott would be an excellent long-term investment for Tottenham.
Given how early he made his Premier League debut for Fulham, it’s easy to forget that he is still only 22, and has plenty of development still ahead of him.
However, he desperately needs more minutes, having made just two Premier League starts under Arne Slot last term.
Elliott reminded everybody of his ability earlier this summer, when he played a starring role in England’s successful defence of their Euro U21 title, and he would be an ideal replacement for Maddison.
When you then consider the level that he could go on to reach in the future, it feels like a no-brainer of a deal for Spurs.