Sources: Mourinho charm offensive works as Tottenham player set for contract U-turn
Jose Mourinho’s charm offensive on Japhet Tanganga is set to result in him imminently agreeing a new contract with Tottenham, Football Insider understands.
The north Londoners have been in negotiations with the the 20-year-old centre-back, whose current agreement ends next June, going back months.
A Tottenham source has told Football Insider that Tanganga was initially reluctant to pen an extension after knocking back an offer from the club in November.
But he has been won over by the Portugese, who has made it clear how highly he rates him and that he is a key figure in his plans going forward.
Tanganga’s U-turn is set to result in him penning a long-term contract.
He could then go out on loan, most likely to a Championship club, this month although that could depend upon Tottenham’s attempts to sign a new defender.
This comes after Mourinho revealed last week he was increasingly hopeful Tanganga and youthful teammate Troy Parrott would sign new contracts.
The newly-appointed manager and his staff have made it clear to the youngster behind the scenes that he will get more first-team opportunities in the future.
The powerfully-built defender has not added to his single senior appearance, made in the League Cup under Mauricio Pochettino.
But Tanganga, who has graduated from the Spurs youth ranks after first joining the club aged 11, has been an unused sub in the last three league matches as well as in Sunday’s 1-1 FA Cup draw against Middlesbrough.
Along with central midfielder Oliver Skipp, 19, and centre-forward Parrott, 17, Tanganga is regarded by Spurs as one of three academy products capable of establishing themselves in the first team in the future.
In other Tottenham news, Paul Robinson has told Football Insider how ‘Spurs scouts are looking at signing’ brilliant centre-back who’s price tag rocketing by the week.