Sky: Euro big guns monitor Tottenham fringe player, club make loan decision

By Dominic Toner

Lazio are interested in signing midfielder Nabil Bentaleb, according to a report.

Sky Sports have claimed on their website that the Serie A giants are monitoring the Algerian fringe player as he looks set to leave Tottenham.

It is said that Bentaleb is not part of manager Mauricio Pochettino's plans but Spurs will only consider permanent offers for the 21-year-old and not a loan move.

The Daily Mail claimed earlier this week that Spurs are holding out for a £12million fee for his services.

Football Insider revealed in July that manager Mauricio Pochettino was ready to sanction the sales of Bentaleb, Nacer Chadli, Clinton N’Jie, Alex Pritchard, Tom Carroll, Federico Fazio and Michael Vorm.

Bentaleb made just five Spurs starts in an injury-hit campaign last season after falling behind Eric Dier, Mousa Dembele and Ryan Mason even when fit. He was not played for the club since February.

Pochettino has subsequently signed Victor Wanyama from former club Southampton to increase the competition for central midfield spots even further and one of the shining lights of the 2014-15 campaign is now set to head out of White Hart Lane.

The Algerian midfielder failed to make the match day squad in Tottenham’s season opener against Everton on the weekend, with youngsters Cameron Carter-Vickers, Joshua Onomah and Harry Winks in the side ahead of him.

Bentaleb signed a new five-year deal last July on vastly improved terms and is said to earn more than Harry Kane and Dele Alli, who both had outstanding seasons and were named in the PFA Team of the Year.

In other Tottenham transfer news, their midfielder is being eyed by Premier League rivals amid contract confusion.