Tottenham Hotspur, and by extension sporting director Fabio Paratici, have re-emerged for Blackburn Rovers starlet Ashley Phillips amid his contract talks.

The Lowdown: Spurs once in pole position?

The Premier League side have long been linked with a move for the highly-rated central defender, with reports earlier this year suggesting that they were even fronting the race for his signature.

Indeed, reliable journalist Alan Nixon claimed in early May that Spurs were 'leading Man United and Chelsea' in the race to sign Phillips and were 'favourites' to get a deal done.

It was claimed that the Lilywhites were looking to seal an agreement for around £3m, and after those reports died down, it appears that links with the exciting young defender have re-emerged.

The Latest: Paratici re-emerges for Phillips...

Paratici and Spurs are apparently still lurking for Phillips amid the teenager's talks over a professional contract.

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The Lancashire Telegraph say that there is 'lingering interest' from Tottenham in the 17-year-old, who has received plaudits for his dominant performances at youth level.

The Verdict: Make the move?

Phillips really could be one to watch based off some glowing endorsements over the last year.

Speaking to Football Insider, Tottenham pundit John Wenham raved over the 6 foot 4 ace after looking into him, going on to brand Phillips a 'monster' whilst urging Paratici to get it done 'ASAP'.

Elsewhere, former Rovers manager Tony Mowbray has called the prodigy 'phenomenal', and it's not hard to see why Spurs are still in the running for the coveted teenager, who is an England underage international and has already trained with Blackburn's first team.