Sheffield United and Tottenham rarely do business with one another.
Spurs took Will Lankshear from the Blades in 2022, but before that, a double deal to sign Kyle Walker and Kyle Naughton in 2009 was the last transaction between the two clubs.
Now, however, Tottenham could be about to sell Ashley Phillips to Sheffield United after an interesting development involving Burnley No.5 Maxime Esteve.
Tottenham may have decided to sell Ashley Phillips as talks begin over Maxime Esteve deal
L’Equipe in France now state that Tottenham have opened talks with Burnley over a deal for the French centre-back.
Spurs saw a bid rejected for Esteve on transfer deadline day in February – believed to be worth £20m – but have now returned to the negotiating table in a development which could end up benefitting Ruben Selles at Bramall Lane.
Sheffield United are willing to spend £6m on Phillips this summer as the Blades aim to bounce back from losing the playoff final last season and win promotion to the Premier League next term.
Should Tottenham sign Esteve, it would mean Thomas Frank has Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Kevin Danso, Radu Dragusin, Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai in his centre-back department along with the England U20 international, which seems far too populated, especially when you consider the Dane only typically uses two central defenders in his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation.
Therefore, the fact talks have restarted with Burnley suggests Tottenham are prepared to sell Phillips – who Dejan Kulusevski admires – to Sheffield United.
What Maxime Esteve has already said about Tottenham
Tottenham must agree a fee with Burnley, but personal terms with Esteve shouldn’t be an issue based on what the Frenchman confessed recently.
Esteve said he admired Spurs and Van de Ven when speaking to Foot Mercato back in May, saying: “I dreamed of England really when I was a kid, I watched on TV. My favourite player was Gareth Bale when he played in Tottenham at the time.
“My dream is more to play for a top six club in England. There’s a player I love very much in the Premier League… Micky van de Ven, the centre of Tottenham.
“He is very fast, and I like him because I have the impression that I have a bit of the same speed qualities, even if he goes much faster. I feel inspired by him, because he’s a player who has about the same profile as me.”
Soon, Esteve could be playing alongside the Netherlands international, in a development which could see Phillips depart without a senior appearance to his name.