Tottenham and Aston Villa ‘in transfer race to sign new N’Golo Kante’
Tottenham and Aston Villa have entered the race to sign Reims midfielder Valentin Atangana, according to a report from The Sun.
The 19-year-old is already a regular for his side in Ligue 1, and has also been capped at various youth levels by France.
He has already earned plenty of praise for his efforts, apparently being dubbed the “next N’Golo Kante” by French media.
That has attracted plenty of attention for Atangana, with 26 top-flight clubs said to have watched him recently, with Spurs and Villa now expected to join the fight for his services.
There are currently just over two-and-a-half years remaining on the midfielder’s contract with Reims, securing his future with the club until the end of the 2026/27 season.
Valentin Atangana links exciting for Tottenham and Aston Villa
Football Insider Opinion
Both of the Premier League sides are fairly well stocked in the midfield but if the teenager has the potential to emulate ex-Chelsea star Kante that may not matter.
Even with Rodrigo Bentancur’s suspension, Spurs do have a number of solid and proven options in the centre of the park at Premier League level.
Villa also have numbers in the centre of the park, and after links with other players, this seems to suggest they could be looking at a range of new midfielders come January.
Even so, the comparisons between Atangana and someone who was so successful in the Premier League in Kante, who won titles with Leicester and at Stamford Bridge, will make these links exciting.
The level of interest there appears to be with so many clubs watching him, is also an indicator of his quality, meaning the 19-year-old could be a big asset for many years if they get him.
With that in mind, it does feel as though both Spurs and Villa should be ready to get involved in the battle for Atangana’s signing in January.
It looks like being anything but a straightforward route to a deal with extensive competition for the teenager clear already.
In other news, Tottenham and Man United have been linked with a PSV Eindhoven star.
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