Tottenham are on the verge of completing their first signing of the January transfer window.
Spurs look to have beaten off competition from London rivals West Ham to secure the signing of Portuguese midfielder Gedson Fernandes.
Fernandes is a versatile midfielder with Champions League experience. Last season he played 46 times for Benfica, scoring three goals and laying on six assists.
The young Portugal international mainly plays in the centre, where Spurs have injury concerns over Tanguy Ndombele and Moussa Sissoko. But he has also played on the right and left in recent seasons as well as on the odd occasion as an attacking midfielder or second striker.
Tottenham have been working on an 18-month loan deal, with a view to making the move permanent at the end of that period.
Portuguese publication O Jogo report that the option will be set in the region of €55million, with an initial loan fee of around €4.5million. That works out at around £3.8million for the loan at the current rate of exchange, with the transfer fee at around £47milion.
The 21-year-old has reportedly flown into London to complete a medical at Spurs ahead of the transfer.
And Spurs head coach Jose Mourinho could not escape questions about the potential signing during his press conference ahead of the FA Cup third round replay with Middlesbrough.
He said: "I am waiting for news. News can come or not. I'm more worried about Middlesbrough than the market. Even if you get a player you cannot play him in a replay.
"So in this moment I'm not interested in Gedson or any kind of player."
