Report: Liverpool move ahead of Spurs in race for £70m winger

Tottenham Hotspur look to have fallen behind Liverpool in the race to sign Nicolas Pepe from Lille.

French news outlet L’Equipe are reporting that Liverpool are ready to launch a bid of close to £70m for the winger on the back of a £62m offer from Serie A giants Inter Milan.

Metro report that Spurs are still interested in trying to recruit the 24-year-old this summer. Pepe’s stock at Lille has risen significantly after scoring an impressive 35 goals in 74 matches in all competitions for the French side who have qualified for next season’s Champions League.

Liverpool are said to be leading the race for the Ivorian with L’Equipe claiming that they have come closer to Lille’s £70m valuation of the player compared to Inter Milan.

Tottenham are desperate to recruit some talented wide players who are capable of finding the back of the net to help Harry Kane and Heung-min Son with the goalscoring burden in North London.

PSV’s Steven Bergwijn could represent a more sensibly priced option for Tottenham, with the winger said to be available for around £35m (Sky Sports).

Opinion

While Spurs have been linked with a whole host of players this summer, spending around £70m on Pepe would smash the club’s current transfer record. It seems unlikely in our view that Levy would stretch to such an outlay of funds given his track record.