Tottenham Hotspur have emerged as ‘favourites’ ahead of Arsenal to sign AS Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana, according to Tuto Juve.
The France International was instrumental to Monaco’s Champions League qualifying campaign where he featured in 32 matches in Ligue 1 for the Red and Whites. His performances in the French top division earned him a deserved call-up to France’s Euro 2024 squad where he has made two appearances so far.
Following the possible departures of Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Giovani Lo Celso, Tutto Juve reports that Spurs have now set their sights on Fofana to fill the midfield void.
The report adds that Arsenal are among the clubs also showing a keen interest in Fofana as Mikel Arteta looks to bring in a midfielder to play alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in the middle of the park.
However, despite further interest from Man Utd and Juventus in the French international, the report claims that it’s Tottenham who are ‘favourites’ to sign Fofana this summer.
Fofana’s qualities fit Ange Postecoglou’s midfield and with several European top clubs courting the Frenchman, Spurs will need to spend €30m (£25m) to acquire the combative midfielder, according to the report.
How Fofana would fit into Spurs
Fofana is a box-to-box midfield dynamo who possesses all the characteristics of a modern-day midfielder. Bar his attacking outputs, the 25-year-old excels in the defensive third of the pitch, regularly putting in tackles and interceptions to disrupt the opponent’s attack.
The Frenchman is also very proficient on the ball and is capable of initiating attacking transitions on the attacking third of the pitch.
These qualities could prove key to Postecoglou who prefers his central midfielders to be efficient on the ball while also possessing defensive awareness.
With Højbjerg tipped to leave the club this summer, Spurs will be left with Pape Matar Sarr, Yves Bissouma, Rodrigo Bentancur and Oliver Skipp in their central midfield options but none of them are as defensively astute as Fofana.
His contract will expire next summer so Fofana is tipped to leave the Stade Louis II but we’ll have to wait and see if Spurs will fork out £25m to sign him or wait till next summer to snatch him for free.
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