Tottenham Hotspur have set their sights on a young Guinean midfield starlet, but they face huge competition for his signature.
Spurs have already strengthened their midfield with the additions of Sandro Tonali and Matues Fernandes, paying a combined £185m for the pair.
However, they have lost experienced duo Joao Palhinha and Yves Bissouma, while Pape Sarr and Lucas Bergvall continue to be linked with moves away from Tottenham.
That is perhaps why Spurs have registered an interest in 18-year-old midfielder Ousmane Diabate, but a deal for the teenager will be difficult for the club to complete this summer.
Tottenham and London rivals have both made contact over Ousmane Diabate deal
TEAMtalk have now confirmed that Tottenham are one of the sides monitoring the progress of Ousmane Diabate, who has impressed for Gençlerbirliği Ankara since joining the Turkish side in the summer.
However, the outlet makes it clear that the Lilywhites will face ‘strong competition’ for the youngster, who is attracting plenty of interest from the Premier League.
Brentford, Aston Villa and Brighton have joined Spurs in the race for Diabate, with all four clubs sending scouts to Turkey over recent months to assess the player.
Of that quartet, Spurs and Brentford have already made contact with Genclerbirligi to find out the parameters of a deal for the midfielder.
Diabate is considering his next step very carefully
Interested clubs are excited by the youngster’s physical profile and tactical intelligence at such a young age, qualities which have attracted comparisons to former Premier League legend N’Golo Kante.
Diabate is expected to be available for a relatively modest fee this summer, due to the terms of his contract and Gençlerbirliği’s financial position.
While the 18-year-old is open to a move to a top-five league, those close to the player have made it clear that any move will be guided by what is best for his development.
Diabate and his representatives are keen to ensure he joins a club where he can continue his progression rather than being rushed into a high-pressure environment too soon or warming the bench.