Tottenham and Everton are planning to wage a transfer battle for Real Betis midfielder Giovani Lo Celso, according to The Sun.
The 22-year-old will join Betis from PSG in the summer after the Spanish side triggered an option to buy after his loan move.
He has netted 16 goals and assisted five others this season according to Transfermarkt.
Tottenham were linked with Lo Celso earlier in the season, but after continuing his good performances for his loan club, the newspaper claims that Everton have joined the battle for his signature.
Should Betis choose to cash in on Lo Celso, The Sun reports that the club will double the asking price for the player from the £21.5m they will pay to make his transfer permanent.
Good move for Spurs?
Yes. After Tottenham lost Moussa Dembele to Chinese Super League club Beijing Guoan for £11m in January, they failed to replace him with what was left of the month. That will be one job for manager Mauricio Pochettino this summer and Lo Celso would be an ideal target. He is only 22 years of age and so fits the profile of a typical Pochettino signing: a young player who can force his way into the team and be a real asset in seasons to come. In addition, he has 16 goals in La Liga since moving from PSG and has impressed this season. Spurs would be an ideal stepping stone for him to develop next season and this move could well happen.
This is Futbol rating 7/10
Likely to happen?
Whether or not this transfer happens will largely depend on if Spurs can keep hold of Christian Eriksen. There are doubts about his future in North London amid reports of serious interest from Spanish giants Real Madrid. If Eriksen leaves, Spurs will need to replace him first, as Lo Celso is not at as high a standard as Eriksen and should not be considered a direct replacement. But if Eriksen stays, Spurs will be a very good club for Lo Celso to learn and develop at.
This is Futbol rating 4/10