Tottenham have been given a huge boost in their bid to sign Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon next month, according to the Sun.
The newspaper claim that Spurs have identified the 17-year-old wide man as their first choice to replace Danny Rose.
The Sun report that Fulham have now opened the door to Sessegnon leaving by stepping up their pursuit of a new left-back in the clearest indication that the teenager could leave when the January window is underway.
It is said that Fulham have “sounded out intermediaries over which full-backs are available” next month.
It has been widely reported that Tottenham have made approaches for Sessegnon in each of the three previous transfer windows, over the summer, last January and during the summer of 2016.
He can play anywhere on the left-hand side and swaps between left-back and left midfield on almost a match-by-match basis.
Good move for Tottenham?
All the signs are that Sessegnon is that rarity, a young English player whose potential is off the scale. The Londoner has created a lot of buzz since his debut senior campaign ended with him named in the Championship team of the season, a stunning achievement for someone who did not even turn 17 until May, at which point he signed his first professional deal. The word at Fulham since Sessegnon was 14 was that they had a player on their hands who was the best graduate yet of an academy that has also produced Moussa Dembele and Patrick Roberts in recent seasons. The youngster is one of the star players in a Fulham side that lost in the play-off semi-finals last season and his all-round ability is getting scouts all over the land very excited.
This Is Futbol rating: 9/10
Likely to happen?
There is a stampede of interest in the left-sided flyer with the world at his feet. The Sun report that Manchester United are also in hot pursuit of Sessegnon, and Tottenham will have to pay big money as well as seduce the teenager with a plan to make the most of his immense talent. Mauricio Pochettino will be key. The Argentine has a proven track record for developing young players and knows how to make stars rather than simply buy them. It is a major development that Fulham are now looking at left-back alternatives. Nevertheless, Spurs have their work cut out to get this deal done in January as they prepare for Rose’s seemingly inevitable exit.
This Is Futbol rating: 7/10