Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - AS Monaco v Olympique Marseille - Stade Louis II, Monaco - April 12, 2025 AS Monaco's Maghnes Akliouche REUTERS/Alexandre Dimou
Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche following the news of their top target Eberechi Eze opting to join Arsenal instead. Spurs had agreed personal terms with Eze and were nearing an agreement with Palace for the player, only for their fierce North London rivals Arsenal to swoop in at the eleventh hour.
The player made it clear his preference was Arsenal, forcing Spurs to now focus on other targets. Akliouche is a rising star in Ligue 1, scoring five goals and adding ten assists in 32 League matches for Monaco last season.
He’s off to a hot start this season, scoring in Monaco’s season opening 3-1 victory over Le Havre. The 23-year-old can play as a No.10 or a right-winger, two positions Spurs are understood to be prioritizing in their search to add more attacking flair to their ranks.
The Independent has reported that Akliouche is just one name on a list of players Tottenham have drawn up as they search for solutions on the market. Tottenham originally identified Akliouche as a more viable target than Man City winger Savinho who they enquired about a few weeks ago.
City slapped a £70m price tag on Savinho, a figure Spurs baulked at, while Monaco would be after €55m (£47.5m) for Akliouche. The player is now being considered as an alternative for Eze.
Dibling, Paz still on Spurs radar
Tottenham also hold a long-standing interest in Southampton star Tyler Dibling. Several reports on Thursday have tipped Spurs to now reenter the race for his signature, with the player continuing to be linked to a move away.
Dibling burst onto the scene during his sole Premier League campaign in 2024/25, and is now on the radar of a host of Premier League clubs including West Ham and Everton.
Nico Paz of Como and RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons complete the list of names discussed internally at Tottenham.
Spurs had a €40m bid rejected for Paz earlier in the summer, with the Italian side seeking closer to €60m. Given that this figure is close to the amount Spurs were willing to pay for Eze, they could reopen talks for the playmaker.
Xavi Simons is another player highly appreciated by Spurs, but the player is currently the subject of advanced negotiations between Leipzig and Chelsea. Reports Thursday suggest that the lack of progress in the deal could give Spurs the opportunity to enter the fray.
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