Tottenham Hotspur are reported to have made ‘initial contact’ over the signing of a destructive midfielder who is currently making headlines on loan at Sevilla, although they face a battle with Juventus to get a potential deal over the line.

After a disastrous start to the season, Spurs have started to hit their stride under Roberto De Zerbi, having recorded three Premier League wins in a row ahead of Saturday’s testing trip to Leeds United.

One area where they struggled earlier in the campaign was finding that right balance in De Zerbi’s midfield engine room, with their two big-money summer signings, Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, not starting together in the double pivot.

However, that has all changed in the latest two outings in particular, with the £185million pairing outstanding in the victories at Chelsea and at home to Crystal Palace.

Despite that, a fresh report from Spain claims that Tottenham are still hunting more midfield recruits and have eyes on Sevilla star Youssouf Fofana in particular.

The Frenchman has established himself as a key performer for the LaLiga side, even being described as the club’s best player so far this season, after arriving on loan from AC Milan.

His outstanding form has attracted plenty of interest, though, with Spanish outlet Ficherio reporting that both Spurs and Juventus have already begun ‘initial contact’ with Fofana’s parent club Milan to ‘explore the possibility of his signing at the end of the current season’.

Milan ready to cash in on Tottenham target Fofana

Fofana is currently under contract for a further two years at the San Siro, leaving Milan in a relatively strong position to negotiate a decent fee for the powerful defensive midfielder.

However, the 2027 summer window will be Milan’s last realistic opportunity to make sure suitors do not take full advantage of Fofana’s impending contract situation.

Fofana is renowned for physical presence in the middle of the park, but has more than enough quality on the ball to become a proven starter in the Premier League.

Indeed, he has showcased just that during his time at Sevilla to date, where he has relaunched his career after struggling somewhat in Italy.

While the report adds that Sevilla are already looking at trying to sign the 27-year-old on a permanent deal, his high salary will almost certainly scupper their hopes.

Indeed, the report claims that Fofana’s salary ‘represents a practically insurmountable obstacle for the delicate wage bill’ of Sevilla, which ‘cannot compete with the salaries offered by the continental giants’.

That’s where the likes of Tottenham and Juventus come in, especially given Milan’s desire to cash in on Fofana at the end of the season.

There is no mention of what sort of fee Milan will look to recoup for Fofana, having splashed out a reported €25million (£21m) for his services in 2024. However, it’s likely they will want something in the region of what they paid, with the midfielder’s form in Spain certainly helping in that regard.

Quite whether Tottenham will want to invest more in their central midfield area, having spent so much on Tonali and Fernandes over the summer, remains to be seen.

However, rumours over Lucas Bergvall’s long-term future in north London refuse to go away, despite our sources revealing the club’s stance on a potential exit in 2027.