Tottenham are now said to be working on a third midfielder signing after spending big to land Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes this summer. Those two signings alone cost Spurs around £185million when add-ons are factored in, and they have played a central role in pushing Spurs to a record-spend in one transfer window, totaling more than £235million.
More spending is expected, with Roberto De Zerbi set to be handed a winger and potentially a striker, and a fresh report has claimed there could be another midfielder signing in the offing in the form of a talented up-and-coming defensive midfielder.
Spurs now in talks over Ousmane Diabate
Tottenham are said to be in talks over a deal for holding midfielder Ousmane Diabate, who has been impressing for Turkish top-flight club Genclerbirligi, or mainly their youth setup. The 18-year-old broke into the first team last season, making four league appearances, while he also attracted attention for his performances in the under-19s Turkish Super Lig.
Diabate has also won a senior cap for the Guinea national team, and it's clear his current club think a lot of him having given him a contract that keeps him in place for another three years, or at least theoretically.
Tottenham and Brentford are both said to be in talks with the midfielder at this stage, but the Bees are said to hold the upper-hand. It's claimed an offer of £3million plus bonuses will be enough to seal the deal this summer.
Spurs keeping one eye on the future
These talks, whether they turn into a deal or not, will be refreshing for Tottenham fans, some of whom have expressed concerns about the summer's transfer approach. While the fancy new signings are exciting for fans, particularly after poor investment in recent years, it is a hard turn away from the youth-based approach that has seen the club procure and develop some big talents, such as Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Mikely Moore.
These talks signal that while Spurs are looking to win now, signing polished targets who are ready to make an impact, they are not giving up on signing young players, and they are still keeping an eye on the future by scouting and attempting to recruit young players who have the potential to grow in ability and value. That's an important factor, especially these days, in the age of strict Profit and Sustainability rules.