Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a swoop to sign Lyon’s highly-rated winger Malick Fofana in the January transfer window, according to CaughtOffside.
Spurs showed no hesitation in bolstering their attack in the recently concluded summer transfer window, first landing Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United before sealing a deal for Xavi Simons from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.
Mathys Tel’s loan move from Bayern Munich, while Kolo Muani was also brought in on a straight loan—without an option or obligation to buy—to bolster Spurs’ firepower on deadline day.
However, the club did not stop there, as further reinforcements were eyed, including a last-ditch move for Fofana, which proved futile as an agreement couldn’t be reached on time.
This is according to CaughtOffside, who claims that Tottenham made a late move to sign the Belgium international on deadline day, but their attempt was rebuffed as there was no time for Lyon to find a replacement.
Despite their failed late move, the North London club are not relenting efforts, as the report adds that Spurs are still showing a ‘strong interest’ in the 20-year-old and are set to return in the January transfer window to sign him.
‘Strong interest’
Fofana, valued at £26m by Transfermarkt, has attracted interest from several Premier League clubs. However, Caughtoffside reports that Tottenham are showing the ‘strongest interest’ in the Belgian winger ahead of the winter transfer window.
The forward has made remarkable strides since swapping KAA Gent for Lyon in January 2024. The Aalst-born winger, a product of Gent’s academy, has quickly established himself as one of Ligue 1’s brightest young talents over the past 18 months.
The 20-year-old has already racked up more than 50 appearances for Lyon, contributing 16 goals and eight assists. His rapid development has not gone unnoticed, with Tottenham now keen on signing him in January.
The Belgian has started the Ligue 1 season in fine form, recording two goal contributions in three games for Paulo Fonseca’s side, who have won all their games this season.
Interest in the youngster is expected to grow as the season progresses, so it’ll be interesting to see if Spurs can ward off interest from other clubs to land the exciting forward in January.