Tottenham are looking to sign the talented young defender William Saliba from St Etienne this summer.
According to a report from Guardian, the Londoners have submitted an offer of around €30m plus bonuses for the defender. They are expected to meet with the French club to try and secure the deal.
Arsenal are keen on signing the defender as well and their offer is around €30m including bonuses. It will be interesting to see if Spurs can hijack Arsenal’s move for the player in the next few days. Apparently, Wolves are keeping tabs on the player as well.
Saliba is a top-class defensive talent and he could develop into a star in future. It is no surprise that Arsenal and Spurs are looking to battle it out for his services. He has the talent to justify the reported offer in future.
Pochettino and Emery are good managers who could help the youngster fulfill his potential. Having said that, Spurs can offer the player Champions League football and that could give them an edge over their London rivals.
The player will return to St Etienne on loan next season regardless of who he joins.
The report from RMC Sport claims that Saliba has agreed on a contract with Arsenal but the deal is not complete yet. The Gunners are still in talks regarding the payment structure. Tottenham’s offer is slightly better at this stage and it will be interesting to see if they can beat the Gunners to his signature.
The interest in Saliba certainly makes a lot of sense. Toby Alderweireld’s future is uncertain at the club and Pochettino is perhaps looking to secure his alternative well in advance.
Spurs already have the likes of Sanchez and Foyth at their disposal and Saliba could be a key part of a talented young core at the club.
Also, players like Saliba will go onto cost a lot more in a few years time. Identifying targets early will save Spurs some money as well.
Furthermore, if Tottenham manage to complete the deal, it could show the powershift between Spurs and Arsenal as well. Although the Gunners are traditionally a bigger club, there is no doubt that Tottenham are far more attractive as a project nowadays.
Pochettino’s side should do everything they can to sign the player in the coming days. It could prove to be a masterstroke in the long run.
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