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Tottenham Hotspur are exploring the signing of a surprise player after they complete deals for Manchester City pair Savinho and Omar Marmoush, it has been reported.

Spurs have reached an agreement with City, per multiple reports, worth an initial £75 million fee plus £10 million in add-ons to sign Savinho.

They have been pursuing the 22-year-old Brazil international for much of the summer, and are now closing in on signing his City team-mate Marmoush as well.

According to The Athletic, Spurs are 'advancing' in talks to sign Marmoush in what would be a separate deal to the one that will bring Savinho to north London.

Spurs have embarked on an overhaul of their squad under manager Roberto De Zerbi and have already spent in excess of £225 million before their latest two deals are completed.

Fans have had to wait since July 6, when Sandro Tonali arrived from Newcastle for a club-record £100 million fee, for their next arrival but it appears that the wait could be worth it.

Spurs 'exploring' move for Premier League striker

Spurs will be not done there, however.

That's according to Football Insider, who report that De Zerbi still wants to add to his forward line and has identified Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta as a target.

The Frenchman has been a reliable source of goals for Palace, netting double figures in the Premier League in each of his last three seasons.

That form earned him a place in France's World Cup squad, where he played 21 minutes across three substitute appearances as France reached the semi-finals before losing to eventual winners Spain.

He was close to joining Italian giants AC Milan in the January window, but the move was called off after his medical discovered a long-standing knee issue.

It was revealed that the problem dated back to when he ruptured his meniscus while playing for Mainz all the way back in 2019, and he had to undergo surgery before he could return to action for Palace.

Mateta said he was grateful to Milan's medical team for spotting the issue, as he claimed it was 'more serious' than what he had been previously told.

"If I hadn't done that medical exam, how long would I have been dragging this knee issue along?" he told French outlet Canal+ in July.

For that reason, a potential move for Mateta may be seen as a slight gamble by Spurs, given the chequered injury histories of both their existing strikers Dominic Solanke and Richarlison.

But the Frenchman returned to action for Palace in March and helped them win the Conference League title, before then travelling to the World Cup.

He hasn't featured at all during pre-season since returning from the World Cup, but new Palace boss Pierre Sage is confident that he will be fit for their opening game of the Premier League season away to Everton on Saturday.

Spurs, who kick off their campaign away to Brentford on Saturday, are also believed to be interested in a move for Liverpool's Cody Gakpo, though it is unclear whether their pursuits of Savinho, Marmoush and Mateta will change that stance.

Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane has finally addressed whether he is planning to return to the Premier League after previously being linked with both Manchester United and his former club Tottenham Hotspur.

Kane first joined Bayern from Spurs in 2023, and despite missing out on the Bundesliga at the first attempt, his goals have since secured back-to-back German titles for the Bavarians, as well as the 2025/26 DFB Pokal.

The 33-year-old, who captained England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, is into the final 12 months of his deal at Bayern, with both Barcelona and Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal showing interest in the striker during the transfer window.

On Tuesday (August 18), Kane spoke out on how he is “calm” about his future as talks over a new contract are ongoing.

Speaking to Kicker, he explained: “We obviously said we wanted to talk after the World Cup and after my holiday. So I’m not sure exactly when, but they’ll start this week, next week… We’ll start those talks.

“Like I’ve said before, we’re calm; I think they’re calm with the situation.”

Kane had earlier linked up with his Bayern team-mates after being granted extended leave following the World Cup before taking part in a 4-2 pre-season friendly victory against Heidenheim.

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And while it appears Kane is happy at his current club, talk of a return to the Premier League is never far, with Spurs and Manchester United previously linked with moves for the forward, who is just 47 goals away from matching Alan Shearer’s Premier League goalscoring record of 260 strikes.

Kane speaks out on Premier League return

However, based on Kane’s most recent comments, he does not plan on returning to England anytime soon.

Speaking to Henry Winter after receiving his second European Golden Shoe at an award ceremony on Wednesday, he said: “When I first left (Spurs in 2023), for sure it was something that I thought I'd definitely be coming back. That itch isn't there as much anymore. I'm extremely happy here in Munich. It’s opened my eyes to a totally different world of football outside of England. It’s made me appreciate European football even more.

“With the team we have here, with the manager (Vincent Kompany). My family are really settled here. It's just about being in the best place possible. I never say never but, for now, I'm concentrating on Bayern Munich and we'll see what the future holds.”

The Englishman is also in the running to win the Ballon d’Or, which will be awarded in October, an accolade he has described as “as big as it gets, from an individual point of view”.

“I know I had a great season last season, but the focus is on this new season,” he said in a separate interview earlier this week.

“The Ballon d'Or's not in my hands. I've done what I can do in terms of putting in the performances. It's now down to votes and other people and the media - stuff I can't control - so we'll see what happens.

“Obviously, it would be amazing if it was to happen. But ultimately, it's still two or three months away before that's decided, so it's not something that's at the front of my mind right now.”

Bayern get their Bundesliga campaign underway against Stuttgart on August 28.

Spurs could continue their huge summer spending with an ambitious move for a £57 million star who turned down their rivals Arsenal.

After avoiding relegation, Roberto De Zerbi has been putting his stamp on Spurs with a flurry of new arrivals totalling £228 million.

Spurs have brought in Sandro Tonali for £100 million, a club-record signing that eclipsed the £85 million capture of Matheus Fernandes which was completed days earlier.

Jean-Paul Van Hecke has also been signed from Brighton for a fee of £52 million.

But Spurs are still pressing hard for further reinforcements, with particular focus on a new central defender following Cristian Romero's departure to Atletico Madrid.

According to TEAMtalk, they could launch a move for Paris Saint-Germain defender Illia Zabarnyi, who could well be available this summer.

Zabarnyi only joined PSG last summer in a £57 million deal from Bournemouth and won the Champions League in his debut season.

However, it's claimed a summer switch is a "realistic possibility" and there could be developments as we move towards the end of the transfer window.

According to the report, Spurs have "taken a look' at the Ukraine international but are yet to follow that up with serious discussions.

The 23-year-old's situation appears to be one to keep an eye on, with a Premier League return very much a possibility.

He was linked with a reunion with Andoni Iraola at Liverpool but the Reds brought in Ronaldo Araujo from Barcelona, a move which makes a Zabarnyi pursuit unlikely.

Similarly, Chelsea snapped up Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace and look to be done when it comes to strengthening in central defence.

Spurs are now credited with interest and a transfer could make sense given Zabarnyi's strong ball-playing qualities and the way Di Zerbi likes to play out from the back.

Spurs target turned down Arsenal as Premier League return mooted

Zabarnyi may already have the love of Spurs supporters as he reportedly rejected a move to Arsenal in the summer of 2024.

The Gunners are understood to have sent scouts to watch him in action at Euro 2024 and looked to a deal.

However, he ended up signing a contract extension with Bournemouth.

After penning a deal until 2029, he said: "I’m so excited and so happy to be here.

"I’m really enjoying it, it’s a beautiful town and a really exciting project. I’ve enjoyed a lot of good moments, last season was important for me.

"We achieved a record points total but we can do more, it’s a really great place to be and I’m pleased to extend my stay."

Having joined from Dynamo Kyiv in a £24 million in January 2023, Zabarnyi went on to stay for another year before joining PSG, where has played a total of 38 times in all competitions.

Tottenham Hotspur will effectively have to pay back a small part of the fee they received for two other players due to Djed Spence's transfer to Inter Milan.

Spence joined Inter on Saturday for a fee of around €30 million, ending what had become a protracted transfer saga.

The England full-back announced his exit minutes before Spurs' 3-0 friendly win over Hoffenheim on Saturday afternoon, writing on Instagram: "A special chapter comes to an end. It's been some journey, with plenty of memories, moments and experiences that I'll carry with me for forever, especially that night in Bilbao.

"Thanks to all the staff members who've helped me along the way, the players who've become family & most importantly thank you to the fans. Time for a new chapter now, but Spurs will always have a place in my heart. COYS."

Spence's departure means Spurs will once again have to do business with a club they have seen a lot of throughout the summer transfer window.

Why Spurs will 'pay back' small part of their transfer profit

The 26-year-old moved to north London in 2022 from Championship side Middlesbrough, with Spurs paying a fee in the region of £19 million.

Boro inserted a sell-on clause into the deal which is worth 15 per cent, though it is unclear whether that relates to a percentage of Spence's sale to Inter - which would be approximately £3.8 million - or simply on the percentage of profit, which would equal around £1 million instead.

Spurs have already done business with Kim Hellberg's side twice this summer, selling striker Will Lankshear for £8 million plus add-ons and centre-back Ashley Phillips for £7 million plus add-ons.

The combined value of the two deals could equal £40 million if all add-ons are achieved, with Spurs holding sell-on clauses in both cases.

With Boro announcing the arrival of Phillips on Saturday afternoon - just before Spence's deal was confirmed - the Championship club have effectively got a small discount on the 21-year-old's signing through their now former player.

Spurs already paid out £2 million to Boro for Spence prior to the World Cup, with Teeside Live reporting that they were entitled to a fee once the full-back started two competitive England matches.

Middlesbrough have had an incredibly profitable summer, first from the £16.5 million sale of star midfielder Hayden Hackney to Everton and then a payment of at least £20 million from Morgan Rogers' £117m transfer from Aston Villa to Chelsea.

That money has enabled them to spend big on signings this summer, with other Championship clubs in general having to bide their time to get players in due to the World Cup.

Transfers have been starting to take place regularly over the past week, but it has been a tricky time for those clubs attempting to secure Premier League loans - given that many young players have been needed during pre-season as a result of mandatory post-World Cup breaks for top stars.

Tottenham are chasing the signature of a Chelsea player who previously hailed their fans as "amazing".

In a record-breaking transfer window, Spurs have been one of the Premier League's most active clubs as Roberto De Zerbi assembles a squad capable of challenging for Europe.

The Lilywhites have flexed their financial muscles by spending just under £250 million on new players, notably breaking their transfer record to sign Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for £85m before doing it again when they splashed £100m on Newcastle's Sandro Tonali.

Defensive reinforcements already arrived in the shape of Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi - who both joined as free agents - as well as Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton.

De Zerbi is now switching his focus to bolstering his attack ahead of the September 1 deadline after admitting that he wants more firepower in the final third.

Just seven clubs scored fewer goals than Tottenham's 48 in the Premier League last season, and they're actively trying to sign players who can alter that narrative for the better.

Spurs have reportedly offered a combined £145 million for Savinho and Cody Gakpo from Manchester City and Liverpool, respectively, in a bid to improve their wide options.

But De Zerbi also wants a central striker to rival current options, Dominic Solanke and Richarlison, with reports suggesting that Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson is on their radar.

According to RMC Sport, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid are all interested in signing Jackson, who is deemed surplus to requirements under new manager Xabi Alonso.

The Senegal international returned to Stamford Bridge following a solid loan spell at Bayern Munich, where he played understudy to Harry Kane, scoring 11 in 34 appearances.

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But that form isn't enough to convince Alonso that he deserves a prominent role at the Blues, with the Spaniard leaving him, Tosin Adarabioyo and Liam Delap out of the squad that beat Real Sociedad 3-1 on Saturday.

An exit therefore looks increasingly likely for Jackson, who has 30 goals in 81 appearances for Chelsea, but only if BlueCo lower their asking price.

It is widely reported that the West London outfit want in the region of £60m for Jackson, with RMC Sport stating that to be a 'major obstacle' for various suitors.

What Nicolas Jackson has said about Tottenham fans

Under contract until 2033, Chelsea are under no pressure to sell Jackson, but the player is desperate to play regular first-team football and that isn't promised at Stamford Bridge, as Joao Pedro, Danny Welbeck and Emmanuel Emegha are all ahead of him in the pecking order.

Tottenham's interest in the 25-year-old will also come as no surprise, given how he's performed against them in the past, netting a hat-trick during Chelsea's 4-1 win over the Lilywhites in November 2023.

Jackson was in rare clinical form in that game as Spurs were reduced to nine men, and many were surprised by what he claimed after demolishing their rivals, admitting that Spurs have "amazing" fans.

"I need to always improve and work harder. We continue working. Tottenham have an amazing stadium and amazing fans, so we needed to fight and win the game," Jackson said.

That comment went down like a lead balloon with Chelsea supporters, but if he does make the short trip across to north London to join Spurs this summer, he will be able to experience the "amazing" support every week.

Tottenham Hotspur didn't have a lot to say when confirming the departure of club captain Cristian Romero.

It comes as no surprise, but after a summer of tension between Spurs and Romero about his role at the club and his future there, his departure has been confirmed.

Romero joined Tottenham from Atalanta in 2021, with the Premier League side paying £42.5million for his signature, and went on to become a vital part of the team, making 156 appearances across five seasons.

Following Heung-min Son’s departure in August 2025, the Argentina international was officially named Tottenham Hotspur captain, recognising his importance to the team.

But just one year later, as his move to join Atletico Madrid has been confirmed, Spurs have made it clear how they really feel about Romero now.

"We have reached agreement with Atletico Madrid for the transfer of Cristian Romero," the official Tottenham Hotspur account wrote on X.

"Wishing you all the best, Cuti."

Romero's final match for Tottenham was the Premier League clash with Sunderland in April, when he suffered a knee injury that saw him leave the pitch in tears and ruled him out of the final six Premier League fixtures.

Reacting to the statement, one fan wrote: "Wow. Only two sentences for the departure of our club captain. It feels like Spurs are very relieved he’s finally out the door."

Another added: "Long worded goodbye for our European winning captain"

While one disappointed fan admitted: "The last thing I expected was Romero leaving in this cold and trivial way because he ended everything in the ugliest way possible."

Atletico Madrid have paid £34.2m for the 28-year-old centre-back, who has penned a five-year deal with the La Liga club.

Cristian Romero releases controversial statement confirming Spurs departure

"Today, I say goodbye to a place that, for five seasons, was much more than a club. It was my home, my challenge and the place where my family and I built such an important part of our lives," Romero posted on X, confirming the news more than 12 hours before Spurs released their statement.

"I leave with a heart full of memories and enormous pride for everything we lived and achieved together.

"When I arrived, I had a clear dream: to leave my name in this club’s history. I knew the only way was through hard work, sacrifice and achieving something that had seemed so difficult for so long: lifting a trophy again.

"And we did it."

Addressing the circumstances surrounding his exit, he added: ""The journey wasn’t perfect, but I don’t want that to define my goodbye. I choose to remember the happy moments, the lessons, the people who stood by me and, above all, the love I received during these five years."

Before later admitting: "I know I wasn’t perfect, but one thing gives me peace: I always gave everything. I defended this shirt with pride and with all my heart."

Earlier in the summer, Spurs signed former Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke, who is expected to take Romero's spot in the lineup.

Spurs are reportedly close to sealing a huge double transfer to sign Savinho from Manchester City and Cody Gakpo from Liverpool - but they aren't finished there this summer.

Roberto De Zerbi's side have been one of the most active Premier League clubs in the transfer window, having already spent just under £250 million on new players.

They broke their transfer record to sign Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for around £85 million, before doing it again when they splashed out £100 million on Newcastle's Sandro Tonali.

Defensive reinforcements had already arrived courtesy of Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson - who both joined as free agents - as well as Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton.

But De Zerbi has repeatedly stated that he wants Spurs to add more attacking options, with their lack of goals last season - only seven clubs scored fewer than Spurs' 48, including the relegated pair of Burnley and Wolves - a key reason behind their ultimate 17th-placed finish.

The north London club have been trying to sign Savinho from City for much of the transfer window, though their progress appeared to have stalled over recent weeks.

According to Brazilian outlet Globo, Spurs have offered a total fee of around £85 million for the Brazil winger, but City have not yet given the green light for him to leave.

And Dutch outlet Voetbal International say that a bid of around £60 million has been lodged with Liverpool to sign Gakpo, who is said to have agreed personal terms over a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

But Spurs still have one more 'bomba' - as De Zerbi has described a major transfer - left in the summer transfer window.

'Early stage' - Spurs want to sign one more key player this summer

According to TEAMtalk, the club have held 'early stage' talks over a move to sign Monaco striker Folarin Balogun, who is formerly of Spurs' bitter rivals Arsenal.

It is claimed that Spurs would need to sell before bringing the United States striker to the club, with Dominic Solanke or Richarlison the candidates to depart.

Last week, reports indicated that Balogun is interested in a move to the Premier League.

The same outlet adds that there have been internal discussions over a move for Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen, but the high asking price and salary demands are said to be putting interested clubs off.

It is suggested that any move for the 27-year-old is 'unlikely', particularly after the Turkish Super Lig side rejected an astonishing bid of €130 million (around £111m) from Saudi Pro League outfit Al Hilal earlier this month.

They have previously been linked with a potential move for Bournemouth's Eli Junior Kroupi, but the Cherries do not want to sell as they prepare for their maiden European campaign in the Europa League.

The France youth international striker is also set to miss the first part of the campaign with a foot injury sustained during pre-season. He is likely to miss around three to four months of action.

Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed an incredible summer transfer window, and with less than three weeks until the September 1 deadline, Roberto De Zerbi could continue to bolster his squad.

After back-to-back 17th-place finishes in England's top flight, Spurs fans needed to see ambition this summer, and the recruitment team have certainly delivered that in abundance.

Tottenham have focused on adding Premier League-proven talent to their squad - instead of taking gambles on talent abroad - with De Zerbi capturing six new players.

The Lilywhites spent big on three stars, capturing Jan Paul van Hecke, Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes for a combined £237 million. Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and veteran goalkeeper Martin Dubravka also joined on free transfers.

De Zerbi can be pleased with the backing he's received since joining the club in March, but the Italian wants at least two or three more players before the window shuts.

Jamie O'Hara wants Tottenham to sign Marcus Rashford

Spurs are looking to assemble a star-studded attack after significantly improving their defence and midfield, prioritising a left-sided forward and a striker.

Manchester City playmaker Savinho is one of their top targets, and the Brazilian has already given his approval for Tottenham to sign him after making it clear he wants to leave the Etihad Stadium.

The north London giants have also been linked with Liverpool's Cody Gakpo; however, former Spurs midfielder Jamie O'Hara believes the club should launch an ambitious move for Manchester City forward Marcus Rashford.

"I like Savinho. What I've seen of him, there have been bright sparks. It hasn't massively worked for him at Manchester City, but he's obviously a talented player," O'Hara told Sky Sports.

"I like Gakpo, but the problem with him is he maybe needs four or five chances to score one, but he has got something about him. I wouldn't be disappointed in the signing - he's a player who I wouldn't mind.

"I just don't know why we don't go for Marcus Rashford. I really think that Spurs should just go, how much do you want? How much can we get him for?

"I know he's on £350,000 a week, and obviously Spurs potentially can't afford that, but he's such a brilliant player.

"If you get him at it with a point to prove, I just think he's still one of the best players around.

"If he stays at Man Utd, I think he'll play, so I just don't know why we've not been interested in him."

Rashford has been heavily linked with a departure from United since returning from his successful loan at Barcelona, with multiple Premier League clubs showing an interest in his signature.

The 28-year-old would prefer to leave Old Trafford after a torrid 18 months at the club, but his £350,000-per-week wage - as O'Hara alluded to - is the main reason why a permanent exit is difficult for the club to sanction.

What Harry Kane has said about Marcus Rashford

A loan to Barca last season saw him return to his best, as 28 goal involvements in all competitions earned him a call-up to England's World Cup squad.

He then scored and assisted for the Three Lions in North America, as Thomas Tuchel's side were knocked out in the semi-finals by Argentina.

Rashford, who has 89 goals in 297 Premier League appearances, will want to rediscover his goalscoring touch in England next season, and Tottenham legend Harry Kane has previously spoken highly of his international teammate.

“Marcus is a great player – we’ve obviously spent a lot of time together with England and you can see the quality he has with the ball, his finishing and his all-round game really so yes, he’s a top player and I’m looking forward to the match," Kane said six years ago ahead of England's Euro 2020 campaign.

Spurs’ stance on the prospect of selling club captain Cristian Romero to arch-rivals Arsenal has emerged while the Gunners have ramped up their interest in a Premier League defender.

Despite Roberto De Zerbi already welcoming Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi, Andrew Robertson and Martin Dubravka during the summer transfer window, his squad may still be set to alter ahead of the Lilywhites’ Premier League opener away at Brentford on August 22.

This is because Romero continues to be heavily linked with leaving the club, with Serie A’s Inter, La Liga’s Atletico Madrid and, surprisingly, Arsenal also keen on the South American, who is under contract until 2029.

There have been conflicting reports about Arsenal’s interest, with some journalists rubbishing the links.

However, on Wednesday (August 12), BBC Sport claimed the Gunners have in fact held exploratory talks with Spurs over a move for Romero, although Tottenham supposedly made clear they have no intention of selling the defender to their biggest rivals.

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Meanwhile, Arsenal continue to explore other deals ahead of the September 1 deadline.

Mikel Arteta has already seen his squad bolstered by the additions of Bruno Guimaraes, Christos Tzolis, Piero Hincapie and Illan Meslier this summer, but business is unlikely to stop there.

According to BBC Sport, Arsenal have reignited their interest in Aston Villa and England centre-back Ezri Konsa.

Earlier in the window, the Midlands club made clear that they would not be willing to sell the 28-year-old for a figure of less than £60million.

At the time, Arsenal said they were only willing to pay half of the asking price.

Konsa, who is contracted to Villa until 2028, is still on holiday following his World Cup commitments and will not feature in Unai Emery’s side’s Super Cup clash against Paris Saint-Germain in Austria.

Ollie Watkins and Emi Martinez will also sit out, with Emery confirming their absence on August 11.

“They are not here because they finished the season July 19, and I gave them four weeks to rest, and it is completely necessary," Emery said. "Of course, if they were here, maybe we will have many more chances, but at the same time, I think PSG will be in same situation as us.

"We will prepare the game with players, even some young players, like we started with four weeks ago. Of course, they (PSG) are favourites."

Mikel Arteta hints at more Arsenal transfer activity

Despite missing out on signing Vinicius Junior, who has signed a new six-year contract at Real Madrid, Arteta has explained how the Gunners are trying to add to their squad ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

When asked by reporters if fans should expect additional signings, the Spaniard said: “Well that's what we're trying to do.

"If we have the right player in the market to make us much better, we are very looking forward to that."

Tottenham's prolific summer spending looks set to continue as a former Arsenal player has given them the 'green light' to sign him.

Spurs have been one of the busiest Premier League clubs this summer and have overhauled their squad after a disappointing 17th place finish last time out.

The Lilywhites have spent a combined £237 million on established top-flight stars Sandro Tonali, Jan Paul van Hecke and Mateus Fernandes, while also doing some shrewd business in the free market with the additions of Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson and Martin Dubravka.

Roberto De Zerbi can be pleased with the improvements he's made to his squad, but with less than three weeks to go until the September 1 deadline, the Italian will be looking to bolster his forward line.

A move for Manchester City winger Savinho is possible after the Brazilian agreed personal terms with the north London side. At the same time, De Zerbi also wants a striker to compete with Richarlison and Dominic Solanke.

Solanke was described as one of the best strikers in England's top flight by the Tottenham boss last week, though the injury-prone Englishman was left out of their 1-1 draw with Getafe after feeling a pain in his ankle.

That has raised doubts over his availability for their opening Premier League game of the season against Brentford in 10 days, while forcing Spurs to speed up their recruitment drive in that position.

Florian Balogun gives 'green light' to join Tottenham

It was reported last week that Monaco centre-forward Florian Balogun was interested in a move back to the Premier League.

Monaco completed the signing of the USMNT international from Arsenal for £35 million in August 2023, and he's since become one of Europe's best strikers.

After making just 10 first-team appearances for the Gunners, Balogun has since produced 44 goal involvements in 91 appearances for the French giants, including 19 goals in all competitions last term.

The 25-year-old then carried his club form into the World Cup, striking three times at the tournament before his side were thrashed 4-1 by Belgium in the last 16.

Balogun controversially appeared in that game after FIFA overturned his one-match ban following his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Now, he could be on his way back to the Premier League, with Spurs launching negotiations to secure his signature, according to Foot Mercato.

They claim that 'initial discussions' have taken place between the two clubs after Monaco slapped a €60m (£51m) asking price on his head.

What's more, Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna has reported on X that Balogun has given Spurs the 'green light' to sign him after emerging as De Zerbi's 'priority'.

Aouna states that while no offer has been made, discussions are 'progressing' between both parties, increasing the possibility of him signing for Arsenal's arch-rivals.

"He is one of our players. I know he's going to receive a lot of offers given his last season and his World Cup performance," new Monaco boss Filipe Luis said when asked about his player's future.

"He's a special player. You don't find many players on the market with his attributes.

"If he stays, I'll be really, really happy to have him with us."