Tottenham could hijack Chelsea’s pursuit of Xavi Simons because the Blues are reportedly eyeing a deal for Barcelona attacker Fermin Lopez. The Lilywhites have endured a frustrating summer transfer window and haven’t been able to keep pace with the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea in their search for new signings.
Tottenham, who appointed Thomas Frank as their boss ahead of the new season, snapped up Mohammed Kudus from West Ham in July after sealing the permanent signings of Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel. Centre-backs Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai have also arrived, with Spurs landing Joao Palhinha on loan from Bayern Munich as well. Spurs have since claimed two Premier League victories and find themselves second in the table after two matches.
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According to Caught Offside, Tottenham are exploring the possibility of signing Simons.
Chelsea are said to be the frontrunners to land the Netherlands international after agreeing personal terms with the attacker. But progress has stalled as the Blues are prioritising departures before they can bring Simons in.
The delay means there is an opportunity for other clubs to enter the fray, with Spurs said to be monitoring developments very closely. And they may decide to move swiftly to steal Simons from under Chelsea’s noses.
According to GiveMeSport, Chelsea have added Lopez to their list of options as they seek further reinforcements.
The west London giants have already brought in the likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens this summer as they aim to challenge for the Premier League title during Enzo Maresca’s second season at the helm.
Chelsea are assessing whether to move for Lopez, with talks already taking place on the player's side. And a £50million transfer is possible, although another Champions League club outside of England have also reportedly made an approach this week.
Tottenham looked set to sign Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace earlier this month after reaching an agreement with the Eagles to take the winger to north London.
But after the England international snubbed Spurs and joined Arsenal instead, Frank explained: “There has been a lot of links. There’ll be a lot of links in the future. And just to generalise that… to make it very, very clear… I don’t want any players that don’t want to come to the club, who don’t want to wear this fantastic badge. We don’t want them here.
“That’s very clear and I’m also pretty sure that the fans will feel the same. If they (potential signings) don’t want to put the fantastic shirt over their head, play for the badge, play for the club, really enjoy it, no problem. We don’t want them. I think that’s a key message.”