Sources: Tottenham given encouragement in bid to sign 24-yr-old top of shopping list
Tottenham have been given encouragement in their bid to sign Southampton midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Football Insider understands.
Spurs have made their 24-year-old their top midfield target this summer after being knocked back in their attempts to prise him from St Mary's Stadium in January.
A Tottenham source has told Football Insider that the club have been given hope in their pursuit of Hojbjerg as he has knocked back multiple Saints attempts to extend his contract.
The Denmark international's current deal expires in the summer of 2021 and the next window represents Southampton's last chance of securing a major fee for him.
What that price will be is up in the air amid the uncertainty in football and over the summer transfer market.
Fees are expected to tumble even at the highest level as clubs operate with restricted budgets.
Tottenham are expected to concentrate on relatively inexpensive signings but that does not rule out a deal for Hojbjerg, who appointed super-agent Pini Zahavi as his new representative earlier this year.
That was a clear sign the central midfielder was laying the groundwork to secure a move to one of the world's elite clubs this year.
Hojbjerg played a pivotal role in Southampton's revival before the lockdown and boss Ralph Hasenhuttl has made it publicly and privately clear he wants to keep him.
The defensive midfielder has started 27 of Southampton's 29 Premier League matches this season among 33 appearances in all competitions.
He has accumulated 129 matches for the Saints since signing in 2016 after playing a part in three Bundesliga-winning seasons at former club Bayern Munich.