Laurent Depoitre: Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace among suitors of Gent striker

The Belgian press have long linked Depoitre, whose current Gent deal expires in June 2017, with a switch to England

Laurent Depoitre (Getty)

Up to 13 Premier League clubs are reportedly preparing to send scouts to Gent’s Champions League tie with Wolfsburg to watch striker Laurent Depoitre.

Representatives from Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City are among those making the trip to Belgium where they will be joined by colleagues from Crystal Palace, Stoke, Aston Villa, Sunderland, West Brom and Southampton, according to reports.

The Belgian press have long linked Depoitre, whose current Gent deal expires in June 2017, with a switch to England after he scored 10 goals in the first half of the current campaign.

Despite netting just once in the Champions Leaguer group stage, the 27-year-old has been compared to fellow Belgian international Christian Benteke.

The Daily Telegraph this morning states Spurs’ Belgian talent-spotter Bjorn Moons and chairman Daniel Levy’s trusted scout Ian Broomfield have both become regular features in the stands for Depoitre’s recent performances.

The former Oostende forward, who was fined €300 for speeding by local police last month, has made just one appearance for his country, scoring on his debut against Andorra. Former Gent goalkeeper Fred Herpoel recently appeared to confirm that Spurs are in the driving seat: “Depoitre, I think he will soon leave Gent.

"I do not know if it will be for January, but in any case I think he will go to England at Tottenham. He has no offer, but I know that Tottenham are closely following him.”