Tottenham racing to clear decks with Brennan Johnson, Conor Gallagher and Lloyd Kelly in Deadline Day sights
ottenham are frantically scrambling to clear the decks of unwanted players, as talks continue with Nottingham Forest for Brennan Johnson and they weigh up an 11th-hour bid for Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher as a possible replacement for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
Business at Spurs is expected to go down to the wire ahead of Friday night’s 11pm transfer deadline, with chairman Daniel Levy and a supporting cast still spinning a number of plates.
In an ideal world, Spurs want to add a forward, a midfielder and a defender to Ange Postecoglou’s squad, with Bournemouth centre-back Lloyd Kelly another target, but the priority remains shifting the club’s deadwood.
As of Friday morning, Spurs were still struggling to find takers for Hugo Lloris, Eric Dier, Harvey White and Tanguy Ndombele, with the latter being offered around Italy and Inter Milan weighing up a loan offer.
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Sergio Reguilon and Japhet Tanganga are, however, set to seal loan moves on Friday, while Davinson Sanchez, a target for Rennes, could move on a permanent deal amid interest from more than one club.
Reguilon completed a medical on Thursday night and signed a contract with Manchester United ahead of a season-long loan move. The deal is a straight loan, without a purchase option or obligation, with United set to cover the Spaniard’s wages in full.
The deal includes a break clause in January, which is commonplace for season-long loan deals, which could be activated by United if Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia have both returned to fitness by then.
Tanganga is completing a medical with German club Augsburg ahead of a season-long loan, including an option which will become a purchase obligation if they remain in the Bundesliga and the 24-year-old plays a certain number of games.
Spurs, meanwhile, are locked in talks with Fulham over the sale of Hojbjerg, who is wanted by the Cottagers as a replacement for Bayern Munich target Joao Palhinha.
Spurs are holding out for £30m for the Dane, with Fulham still someway off that figure but optimistic that a deal could be agreed.
If Hojbjerg departs, Spurs would bid for Chelsea’s Gallagher, who is valued at £50m by the west London club, but could be allowed to leave after the Blues made Manchester City’s Cole Palmer their 11th first-team signing of the summer.
Brennan Johnson, Conor Gallagher and Lloyd Kelly are all in Tottenham’s transfer sights
/ PA/Getty ImagesSpurs are also continuing talks with Forest for Johnson, with confidence in the forward’s camp that a deal could be struck before the deadline but Spurs wary of the difficulty of getting such a late move over the line. Forest have valued Johnson at £40m minimum.
Bryan Gil would also be allowed to leave Spurs on loan, despite currently being on the sidelines after groin surgery.
In the case of Lloris, who has one year remaining on his deal, Spurs could opt to cancel the Frenchman’s contract, although that is considered a last resort.
Dier, who has also entered the final 12 months of his contract, is reluctant to move on a permanent deal unless he receives a very attractive offer, while a loan would make little sense for Spurs.
Bournemouth’s Kelly is considered a potential signing, but a late move for the 24-year-old likely hinges on Tanganga, Sanchez and Dier departing. Spurs had an opening £20m bid rejected on Friday morning.
