Tottenham Hotspur are set to battle rivals Arsenal for the signature of Real Madrid ace Dani Ceballos after making an initial approach, according to Diario Gol.
The Spanish outlet report that Ceballos is not wanted by manager Zinedine Zidane, and has five teams vying for him in the January window.
The 21-year-old central midfielder has only made 11 appearances this season since signing from Real Betis for £15million in the summer, and just four of those have been starts.
It is said that chairman Florentino Perez signed Ceballos in a bid to add more Spanish players to an increasingly international Madrid side, with Zidane never wanting the player at the club.
Ceballos reportedly had a summer offer from rivals Barcelona, who guaranteed him minutes, but he decided to join Real for a bigger contract with the intention of playing his way into the team.
Tottenham and Arsenal are reported to have enquired about the availability of Ceballos in January, with Italian giants AC Milan and Roma also interested, along with his former club Real Betis.
Good move for Tottenham Hotspur?
There is no doubt that Ceballos is an exciting prospect. He is just 21 years old and lit up La Liga last year with his control of games and impressive dribbling ability.
However, there are a couple of questions looming over a Spurs move for the midfielder.
Firstly, the club will want any January signings to make an instant impact. Ceballos will have to adapt to the Premier League and life in England, which will probably take months.
Secondly, do Spurs need a central midfielder? They already have Mousa Dembele, Victor Wanyama, Eric Dier, Harry Winks, Moussa Sissoko, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen who can play there.
They would be better advised to look at their weak spots before signing someone like Ceballos.
This is Futbol rating: 5/10
Likely to happen?
It would seem Ceballos has been undone by a poor decision to choose a bigger contract over guaranteed minutes, and looks totally out-of-favour at the Bernabeu.
He scored two goals against Alaves earlier this season that carried Madrid to a crucial 2-1 win, but was immediately dropped to the bench for their next match.
It would seem there is no way back for a player that Zidane apparently did not want, and Tottenham would be a good move for a young player like him.
However, it seems as though there are several teams vying for his signature, and ultimately it would come down to the player to decide his next move, with a move back to Real Betis apparently the most likely.
This is Futbol rating: 4/10