Tottenham are working to sign an alternative to Eberechi Eze after their deal with Crystal Palace fell apart by the seams.
Despite agreeing both personal terms with the 27-year-old and the finances of a deal with Palace, Arsenal swooped in at the last moment to agree a deal of their own for Eze, and once left with the choice, the boyhood Gunners supporter was always going to pick N5.
It comes as Tottenham’s second public transfer mishap of the window, after also seeing an advanced deal for Morgan Gibbs-White blocked by Nottingham Forest in bizarre fashion earlier this summer.
For Thomas Frank, who’s now bereft of any playmaker at all following James Maddison’s long-term ACL injury and Dejan Kulusevski’s absence, it is a hammer blow and one that needs rectifying as soon as possible.
That being said, in response to all the reports surrounding Eze’s rejection, Frank has made it crystal clear that he only wants players with a burning desire to wear the Tottenham shirt.
“There’s been a lot of rumours – and a lot of times where there’s nothing in it. There must be someone out there who thinks it’s good fun to put the rumours out there,” said Frank in a press conference before their trip to Man City.
“There’s been a lot of links and will continue to be. To be very general, I don’t want any players who don’t want to come to the club. If they don’t want to come here and wear this fantastic badge, we don’t want them here. That’s very clear, and I imagine the fans feel exactly the same.
“That’s a key message.”
Of the alternatives mentioned by media sources, a few have emerged in the past 48 hours.
Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche, Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott and Leicester City’s Bilal El Khannouss are just some of the names linked with moves to N17 after Eze’s move elsewhere, with Como sensation Nico Paz apparently still in their thinking as well.
The latter was reportedly subject to a rejected Tottenham bid earlier in the window, according to Sky Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio, with Como holding out for around £60 million to even consider a sale.
The Argentine’s future is also tied heavily with his former club, Real Madrid, who possess a hefty 50 per cent sell-on clause and the option of bringing him back to the Bernabeu for a reduced fee in both 2026 and 2027.
Tottenham hold talks with Nico Paz's representatives after Eberechi Eze blow
According to TBR Football, amid other reports that Tottenham are preparing a fresh attempt for Paz, it is believed that Spurs have also held talks with the 20-year-old’s representatives in the aftermath of their Eze blow.
Paz bagged six goals and nine assists under Cesc Fàbregas last season as one of Como’s standout performers, with the ex-Madrid man shining among Serie A’s latest rising stars.
However, journalist Graeme Bailey also told TBR that a move for Paz carries plenty of risk, even if Spurs have explored it through intermediaries with the player.
“The problem for any club wanting Paz is that Real currently have a buy-back clause of around €10 million (£8.6m). If they allowed him to leave Como, they would insist on a similar arrangement with that new club,” said Bailey.
“So, in theory, if he performed well at Spurs, they would lose him for virtually nothing at the end of the deal.
“As it stands, Spurs would not do that.”
Footballing icon Lionel Messi is on record calling Paz “incredible” for some of his traits, but Levy definitely won’t be keen on losing a hefty sum of money on him in the future.