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Kyle Walker is expected back at Tottenham pre-season training on Thursday, with the clock ticking on his potential move to Manchester City .
City and Spurs have been negotiating over a transfer fee for Walker all summer, but with Daniel Levy sticking to his £50m price-tag, there has still been no resolution between the two clubs. Spurs are in no rush to sell a player who still has four years left on his contract for anything less than their valuation, and are prepared to take negotiations to the very end of the window.
Tottenham are due to fly to the United States for their pre-season tour next Wednesday, 19 July, before their first match against Paris Saint Germain in Orlando, Florida on Sunday 23. They will even face Manchester City themselves in Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday 29 July, their last match before they fly home.
Show all 8 1 /8Tottenham summer transfer targets Tottenham summer transfer targets Tottenham summer transfer targets Which players could Spurs sign this summer?
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Tottenham summer transfer targets Joshua King, Bournemouth Norwegian striker Josh King has had a fine season, scoring 16 goals for a Bournemouth side which hovered precariously above the relegation zone for parts of the season. He played a key role in keeping the Cherries up and, given his performances, has caught the interest of Tottenham. The player admitted in an interview earlier in the season that he is pleased that Spurs have recognised his talents - comments which have added fuel to the fire over a potential £15m move. Pochettino is eager to solve the goalscoring issue his team faces when Harry Kane is injured or rested and King, who also qualifies as home-grown, could be the ideal solution.
Tottenham summer transfer targets Max Meyer, Schalke Schalke set the midfielder’s price-tag last summer at £45m for interested teams, but having remained at the club, Meyer has stalled over signing a new contract. With his current deal expiring next summer there is a realistic chance he will look to move on, and for a significantly lower fee than originally stated, at around £20m. Tottenham are among those monitoring his situation and could look to bring him in to increase squad depth ahead of another packed season.
Tottenham summer transfer targets Ben Gibson, Middlesbrough A similar case to Michael Keane, the 24-year-old centre back is highly rated and won his first England call-up against Lithuania this year. Chelsea, who view him as an ideal replacement for the departing John Terry, seem to be in the driving seat. With Kevin Wimmer looking likely to leave, Tottenham will be in the market for a centre-back and hold interest in Gibson, though Chelsea’s eagerness to secure his signature may complicate things.
Tottenham summer transfer targets Ross Barkley, Everton The Everton midfielder has obvious talent but has failed to perform consistently at his club. It is thought a change of scenery to invigorate his career is something the player would consider, and Tottenham are keen to snap him up if the chance arises. Barkley’s contract expires next summer and it is believed that Ronald Koeman will look to cash in on the playmaker to avoid losing him for free next season. That is no surprise, especially as he could cost interested clubs £30m.
Tottenham summer transfer targets Demarai Gray, Leicester City Pochettino’s preference to buy players who already possess Premier League experience could see the Leicester winger, 20, become the subject of Tottenham interest this summer. Gray made 72 appearances for Birmingham City, where he came through the ranks, before joining Leicester in 2016 and gained 12 league caps to help the club win the Premier League title. With bags of pace and potential, he has also represented England from U18 to U21 level and is tipped for future success. A fee of £12m could be enough to prise the youngster away from Leicester this summer.
Tottenham summer transfer targets Ryan Sessegnon, Fulham The young left-back has now turned 17 and, as a result, is legally allowed to sign his first professional contract. A host of top clubs have scouted the player, who impressed at Craven Cottage in Fulham’s televised FA Cup tie against Tottenham back in February, but the West Londoners are keen to keep hold of him by guaranteeing him first team football. Tottenham have been strongly linked to the youngster in recent days, though, and Fulham can expect a fight to hold onto the defender.
Tottenham summer transfer targets Wilfried Zaha, Crystal Palace The winger recently signed a new five-year contract at Selhurst Park in a move that will surely repel any interested clubs. Nonetheless, football works in mysterious ways and having already made a move for the winger last season, there’s no reason Spurs won’t come knocking a second time. Having said that, Tottenham would need to be serious in what they offer, as opposed to last summer’s £12m bid, if they’re to stand any chance of bringing Palace to the trading table.
Walker and City both hope that the impasse can be broken and that a fee is agreed with Tottenham in the next week, not least so that he can avoid the difficult prospect of facing his likely next club with his current one at the Nissan Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans, in just over two weeks’ time.
City are themselves under increased pressure to sign Walker after missing out on Dani Alves this week. Pep Guardiola was confident he would bring in the Brazilian right-back, part of his team at Barcelona, only for Paris Saint Germain to steal in and complete a deal for Alves which was announced on Wednesday.
Show all 11 1 /11How could Manchester City line up this season? How could Manchester City line up this season? Ederson Arguably the best goalkeeper in the Premier League. Ederson’s prowess with the ball at his feet is so well-documented, his other attributes can be overlooked. Relied upon to produce big saves despite long periods of inactivity.
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How could Manchester City line up this season? Joao Cancelo Expected to join from Juventus and provide competition for Kyle Walker. An attacking, aggressive full-back, Cancelo is precisely what Guardiola looks for in one of his key positions.
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How could Manchester City line up this season? Fernandinho Following Vincent Kompany's departure and no new centre-half signing, Fernandinho may be relied upon in a more reserved role, right at the heart of City's defence rather than their midfield.
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How could Manchester City line up this season? Aymeric Laporte Emerged as City’s undisputed first-choice centre-half in his first full season at the Etihad and widely considered the best in the league behind Virgil van Dijk. His ability to move across to left-back when Guardiola requires more protection is a useful asset.
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How could Manchester City line up this season? Oleksandr Zinchenko The surprise success story of last year. Guardiola was delighted with Zinchenko’s attitude and application as a makeshift left-back. The Ukrainian rarely, if ever, let City down. While Benjamin Mendy has much to prove, Zinchenko is now an established starter.
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How could Manchester City line up this season? Rodri The long-awaited successor to Fernandinho has finally arrived. Rodri brings with him an ability to read the game and dictate play from deep. Often compared to Sergio Busquets, he is a holding midfielder in Guardiola’s own image.
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How could Manchester City line up this season? Bernardo Silva City’s player of the season in his sophomore year. Stepped out of the shadows and seemed to have telling impact in almost every game he played. Has definitively moved ahead of namesake David in the pecking order.
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How could Manchester City line up this season? Kevin De Bruyne Last year was a frustrating one for De Bruyne, with injury after injury limiting his number of appearances. Fortunately, those knee and muscular problems are not expected to haunt him and this coming season could see a return to form.
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How could Manchester City line up this season? Raheem Sterling Commended for his performances on the pitch and the public stances he has taken off it, Sterling has never been more important to City. Perhaps the biggest single beneficiary of Guardiola’s coaching.
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How could Manchester City line up this season? Sergio Aguero A convert to Guardiola’s methods, Aguero has become a more complete player without losing any of his scoring capacity. Last season was one of his finest, and there is no reason why he should not maintain that high standard this year.
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How could Manchester City line up this season? Leroy Sane Entering his fourth season in English football and has dazzled when at his very best, but still not holding down a regular starting place. Bayern Munich’s interest is real and Sané could yet leave.
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The fact that City are down to one transfer target at right-back only strengthens Tottenham’s position in the Walker negotiations, and their chances of getting close to £50m.
Walker was given a month off after playing for England in their friendly in Paris on 13 June. Fellow right-back Kieran Trippier, who overtook Walker to become Spurs’ first choice at the end of last season, is also due back in on Thursday.
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