Tottenham are weighing up a move for RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons, who is rated at £60m, as they push for the attacking midfielder they need in what could be a busy end to their transfer window.
The club have made progress in talks over the loan of Luka Vuskovic to Hamburg, the expectation being that a season-long deal with no options will be finalised before Monday’s deadline. They are also looking to move Yves Bissouma to Galatasaray. The 28-year-old, who is out of contract next summer, has dropped to the bottom of the central midfield pecking order, having frustrated Thomas Frank, the Spurs manager, with his timekeeping.
Simons is a longstanding target for Chelsea, although they want to offload Christopher Nkunku or Nicolas Jackson before they make a bid. They are also trying to prise Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United.
Chelsea’s delay in going for Simons may open the door for Spurs, who are keen to add to their options in the line behind the striker after missing out on Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze, and with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski both long-term injury casualties.
Frank noted last Friday that he had only six available players for his frontline, including strikers. That did not include the winger Manor Solomon, whose future at the club is uncertain. Frank said he was optimistic about adding to the number, with Spurs also interested in Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche, Como’s Nico Paz and Manchester City’s Savinho. The latter is believed to be out of reach and ready to stay at his club.
Vuskovic joined Spurs this summer, albeit his move from Hajduk Split was agreed in September 2023, and he announced his arrival with a goal and an assist in the pre-season win at Reading. The 18-year-old centre-half played in the next friendly against Wycombe before his minutes dried up; he has been an unused substitute since the season began.
Hamburg, who won promotion back to the Bundesliga last season, have monitored Vuskovic throughout the summer and can see he is behind Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Kevin Danso in Frank’s thinking. The manager also has Radu Dragusin, who is fighting back from the anterior cruciate ligament rupture he sustained in late January, Ben Davies and the new signing Kota Takai as options at centre-half. Takai has not yet featured as he has battled a heel injury.
Bissouma was a £25m signing from Brighton in 2022 and played the full 90 minutes in last season’s Europa League final victory over Manchester United. The picture has changed for him under Frank, who dropped him from the squad for the European Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain, complaining: “He has been late several times, the latest one too many.” Bissouma has not been in the squad for Spurs’ two Premier League matches having picked up an injury in training.
Fulham are stepping up efforts to bring in attacking reinforcements and hope to agree separate deals with Shakhtar Donetsk for Kevin and Milan for Samuel Chukwueze worth almost £60m in total.
It is understood the Ukrainian side value Kevin, a 22-year-old winger who joined from the Brazilian side Palmeiras in January 2024, at €50m (£43m). Fulham had a bid rejected this summer but have reopened negotiations and are expected to make a new offer that could exceed the £34m club record fee paid for Emile Smith Rowe from Arsenal last summer.
Fulham’s manager, Marco Silva, has made clear he is not happy with the lack of signings and the club have made progress on a deal for Chukwueze, who they tried to sign in January. Talks with Milan for the 26-year-old Nigeria forward are thought to be advanced over a deal that could be worth up to €25m (£21.6m).
Fulham have also spoken to Arsenal about signing Reiss Nelson, who spent last season on loan at Craven Cottage. Crystal Palace are understood to be interested in a £15m move for the 25-year-old, who has less than two years on his contract. Palace have agreed a deal with Villarreal worth up to £25m for Yeremy Pino, with the Spain forward due for his medical on Thursday.
Arsenal are hoping to sell players to enable them to bring in Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapié but do not want to pay his £52m release clause. “We still haven’t received an official offer from any club, so he’s our player,” the German club’s sporting director, Simon Rolfes, said on Wednesday. “That’s the status quo. He knows that we value him highly and would like to see him continue with us.” Leverkusen regard Manchester City’s Manuel Akanji as a potential replacement.
