Blackburn are close to agreeing a deal to buy Dilan Markanday - Tottenham's most promising U23 player and current second-top scorer in Premier League 2; Spurs wanted him to sign a new contract but the winger wants first-team football
Monday 17 January 2022 23:42, UK
Tottenham are close to agreeing a deal to sell promising youngster Dilan Markanday to Blackburn Rovers.
The right-winger is the second-top scorer in Premier League 2 for Spurs' U23s this season and they have offered him a new contract to stay at the club.
But Markanday wants to play regular, senior first-team football and a number of Championship clubs are willing to give him that chance including Blackburn, Stoke, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest.
He is into the final six months of his current Spurs deal and reports have claimed a deal could be worth as much as £1m.
Rovers boss Tony Mowbray admitted his interest in signing him on Thursday, stating: "He's a young boy, we are aware of him, I'm not sure how close anything is.
"He fits the profile of the type of footballer we might want to sign somewhere down the line, as a lot of clubs in this league would."
Sky Sports News exclusively broke the news last November that he was not signing the offer of new terms and could leave in the January window with Championship clubs chasing his signature.
Tottenham are yet to do any January business but they are keen to strengthen their squad to support new manager Antonio Conte.
Adama Traore of Wolves is high on their list of targets and they see him as someone who can play at right wing-back or among the front players, with his ability to run at and beat defenders.
His arrival may mean less opportunities for Steven Bergwijn, who is the subject of talks over a permanent switch back to Holland with Ajax. A bid of around £15m has already been rejected during negotiations.
However, Conte said ahead of the North London derby: "Steven is a player that has recovered from his injury. He had two training sessions with us. For sure he is not 100 per cent fit in this moment, but I needed him to come on the bench, to stay with us.
"I asked him his availability for the game against Arsenal, because for me he's an important option after Son was injured. In this moment we have only two strikers, Harry and Lucas, and then there is Bergwijn, and then also there is Scarlett, but he is also recovering from an injury."
Spurs' managing director of football, who has a strong relationship with Conte, and his head of recruitment Steve Hitchen are also keen to bring in another striker to support Harry Kane before the deadline.
The future of Tanguy Ndombele, who was also not in the squad after a poor showing against Morecambe in the FA Cup, has continued to be the subject of much speculation but Conte said on Friday: "In this moment, Tanguy is a Tottenham player. For this reason you have to consider him a Tottenham player."
Centre-back Joe Rodon could leave on loan but Spurs are short of options at centre-back with Eric Dier having picked up a knock and Cristian Romero only in the final stages of recovery from a long-term injury. Jack Clarke also needs to get out on loan for first-team games.
