Tottenham have rejected a £40million offer from Manchester City for Kyle Walker, according to the Mail.
The newspaper claim that Pep Guardiola’s team have finally made a formal bid for the Spurs right-back after more than a month of intense speculation about the possibility of a deal.
The Mail report that Tottenham have rejected City’s offer for Walker and are holding out for a fee of £50million.
It is said that Spurs are preparing for the exit of the 27-year-old by putting in place plans to tie Kieran Trippier down to a long-term contract when he returns from his holiday.
It is also reported that the north Londoners regard Porto’s Ricardo Pereira as an option to replace Walker should he eventually complete a transfer to City.
But it appears that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is in no hurry to sanction the exit of the England international even though there is some doubt about the make-up of the playing squad ahead of the start of pre-season.
Guardiola is reportedly targeting two new right-backs this summer as he continues what is shaping up to be a mass overhaul of the squad that finished third in last season’s Premier League.
City are closing in on the signing of Brazilian veteran Dani Alves, 34, from Juventus and he is expected to be next through the door following the earlier window signings of winger Bernardo Silva from Monaco for £43million and goalkeeper Ederson from Benfica for £35million.
Levy’s firm stance on Walker is slowing down the second right-back arrival but Guardiola is keen on the England international to be a City player by the end of this month.
The defender, who moved to White Hart Lane from boyhood club Sheffield United in 2009, lost his regular Spurs starting place at the end of 2016-17 as speculation intensified about his future and his form dipped.
Nevertheless, Walker was named by his peers in the PFA Premier League team of the season and is widely regarded as one of Europe’s outstanding right-backs.