As per Mundo Deportivo, relayed by Sport Witness, another update has emerged on Tottenham Hotspur's plans to sign Barcelona star Ousmane Dembele.

The Lowdown: Spurs join race...

The 24-year-old has been of heavy interest to Spurs according to reports from these last few months with 90min first claiming that Fabio Paratici had joined the race for his signature.

[web_stories_embed url="https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/spurs-latest-updates-5/" title="Spurs latest updates!" poster="" width="360" height="600" align="none"]

Dembele's deal at Barcelona expires at the end of this season, making him one of the many potential 2022 free agents linked with a move to north London.

It appears Tottenham have their sights set on big names for low fees with Mundo Deportivo now bringing an update on the pursuit of the Catalans forward.

The Latest: Agent handles Spurs offer...

As per their information, via SW, Dembele's representative is handling an 'offer' from Tottenham for the player's services as Paratici chases the France international.

However, he also has proposals from various other clubs, including Chelsea, who they seem to favour more as it stands.

That's due to Spurs, Man United and Newcastle not guaranteeing as much as the Blues when it comes to reaching 'high levels'.

The Verdict: Avoid...

Chelsea being ahead of Spurs in the race for Dembele as it stands could actually be a blessing in disguise for manager Antonio Conte.

Despite Barcelona president Joan Laporta's recent claim he is 'better than Mbappe' (footballtransfers.com), the 27-cap star's history of hamstring problems combined with a sky high £210,000-per-week salary make this a risky move from Paratici's perspective.

Tottenham recently announced an £80.2m pre-tax loss for the last financial year, taking their overall club debt to £706m, and the last thing they need is another financial strain on the club.

Dembele's ability is evident, with former boss Ronald Koeman calling him 'fantastic' for his return to form earlier this year, but his signing would still raise eyebrows at Tottenham with the obstacles involved.

In other news: Spurs in pole position to sign 'perfect' player for Conte as price tag drops by nearly half, find out more here.