Report: Spurs are told to pay £13m to sign 26-year-old centre-back

According to Het Nieuwsblad, Union Saint-Gilloise have put a price tag of €15m (£12.8m) on Koki Machida after Tottenham expressed an interest in the centre-back.

Machida has emerged as one of the most consistent defenders in the Belgian top flight over the last 12 months and his performances have seemingly not gone unnoticed at Spurs, who are on the lookout for reinforcements in central defence.

It was reported by 90 min last week that Tottenham are considering making a move for the Japan international in January in light of the 26-year-old’s impressive development.

The outlet claimed that the Spurs hierarchy are of the belief that the former Kashima Antlers star has the physical attributes to play in Ange Postecoglou’s aggressive backline.

Tottenham will have to pay £12.8 for Koki Machida

Het Nieuwsblad have now backed up Tottenham’s interest in Machida, explaining that the North London club see the player as the ideal understudy to Micky van de Ven at left centre-back.

However, they say that Union SG do not wish to lose the defender mid-season, given how key he is to their side and Spurs will thus have to ‘dig quite deep’ to secure his services.

It is alleged that the Premier League side will have to bid €15m (£12.8m) to convince the Belgian club to let Machida go.

Spurs Web Opinion

While £13m is a humungous fee for a club like Union SG, it is quite a modest one for Spurs. I get the feeling that it is Postecoglou who might be pushing Machida’s case at Tottenham as the Australian would have seen the centre-back closely during his time in the J-League.