Sources: Tottenham pull plug on signing PL 25-yr-old after major development

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Published on:

29 Jun 2020, 11:30 am

Tottenham will not be reigniting their longstanding interest in Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake this summer, Football Insider has learned.

The 25-year-old is a long-time target of Spurs and has been considered for the left-sided centre-back role that will soon be vacated by Jan Vertonghen.

A Tottenham source has told Football Insider that the club's scouts have delivered rave reports about Ake but his price tag of around £40million puts him out of reach.

The Holland international is almost certain to leave Bournemouth if they get relegated and could even be sold if they stay up.

Football Insider revealed last week that Spurs' initial plans to bring in two senior central defenders this summer are set to now be binned in favour of just one.

This is partly due to Eric Dier's successful redeployment in central defence in the four Premier League matches either side of the lockdown.

It is also because of the restricted transfer budget Mourinho will be operating with in the next window.

Ake has made a big impression at Bournemouth since signing from Chelsea for £20million in the summer of 2017 after an initial spell on loan the previous campaign.

He started all 38 of their league matches last season and he has been in the XI for 25 out of 31 games in the competition this term, only missing out through injury.

Tottenham will nevertheless bow out of the race to sign him and believe Dier's re-emergence could solve a major defensive problem.

Dier is out of contract in a year's time and had appeared set for the exit this summer.

But the early signs are positive that an agreement can be reached over a new long-term contract.

Football Insider revealed earlier this month that talks have begun over a new deal following a change of heart from the hierarchy due to the pandemic.

In other Tottenham news,

it can be REVEALED that the club are working on three new deals and offers are on the table.

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