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Tottenham Hotspur were offered the chance to sign Youri Tielemans from Monaco in January, per HLN journalist Kristof Terreur.
What’s the word?
Tielemans joined Leicester City on loan at the turn of the year, with the Foxes sending Andre Silva the other way.
The Belgium international has enjoyed an exceptional start to his Leicester career, playing 11 times in the Premier League.
He has scored three goals and laid on five assists, emerging as a genuinely classy operator at the King Power Stadium.
Tottenham were linked with a late swoop for Tielemans in January by the Daily Telegraph and Terreur has now confirmed that there is likely to be even more interest in the 21-year-old this summer.
Both Spurs and Manchester United are listed as potential suitors, with Tielemans a long-term target of both clubs.
May have missed the chance
Spurs may have waited too long to do this deal.
One thing is for certain; he would have boosted the club during their current injury crisis.
Following Mousa Dembele’s departure, the likes of Harry Winks, Eric Dier, Victor Wanyama and Dele Alli have all struggled for fitness.
Against Ajax in the Champions League semi-final first leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this week, Spurs were overrun and eventually had to task Danny Rose with playing in midfield.
In that game, Alli was clearly half-fit, failing to impact the game in the final third or in defence, as he drifted between attacking and central midfield.
Tielemans would have alleviated the pressure that is currently being placed on the England international – he probably would have started the game instead of him had he been on Spurs’ books – and could also have prevented Pochettino’s men being outmanoeuvred in midfield.
He may not have taken Spurs to victory but he would surely have helped, adding an extra dimension and looking to cut Ajax open with his incisive passing and swift dribbling. Instead, Tottenham conceded an away goal to the Dutch side and have left themselves a huge challenge to overcome in the second leg.
Under Pochettino, he could have become a star, but now, his value is soaring. Spurs, as said, may have waited too long.
