Tottenham will on Thursday complete the Yves Bissouma transfer, subject to a medical, after finally agreeing a package with Brighton.
The Mali international has established himself as one of the leading midfielders outside the Premier League’s top six. Arriving for a bargain fee from Lille in July 2018, Bissouma has made 124 appearances for the club. But that form has alerted him as a potential target for several big-hitting sides.
Indeed, Liverpool were strongly linked last summer with scouts from the Reds making several checks. Aston Villa also made their move to sign him in January. And more recently, Arsenal have also been linked.
However, it is Spurs who have won the race, with news of their intentions emerging earlier this week.
And with just a year left on the five-year deal he signed upon his arrival four years ago, Brighton have had little choice but to cash in. They tried to get the 25-year-old to commit to a new contract, holding several rounds of talks.
But it was ultimately the lure of playing under Antonio Conte and in the Champions League that has won the day.
Spurs are now reported to have agreed the final terms of his transfer with Brighton. They will pay the Seagulls an initial payment of £25m, with add-ons taking the deal to £30m.
Brighton were reportedly hoping to secure closer to £30m up front, but it seems a compromise has now been reached.
Signing to push out 203-game Spurs star
It’s also understood that a payment schedule with Brighton has also been settled upon after further talks between the clubs on Wednesday.
Despite that, the signing of Bissouma will be reguarded as one of the bargains of the summer.
Football.London reports that Bissouma will travel to the UK on Thursday to undergo medical checks. And if all goes to plan he will sign a multi-year contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Bissouma will compete with the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Oliver Skipp for a place in midfield.
However, his arrival will finally push out Harry Winks. The 203-game midfielder has struggled for game-time over the past 18 months. He has been linked with West Ham and Everton, with the 26-year-old rated at around the £20m mark.
Winks has also earned 10 England caps during his time at Spurs, the last of those coming in 2020.
Yves Bissouma transfer another smart signing for Tottenham
The arrival of Bissouma will seriously strengthen Tottenham. Already well stocked for central midfielders, the Malian has shown himself one of the most accomplished and complete midfielders in the Premier League.
Although he faces a fight with three multi-talented stars in Skipp, Hojbjerg and Bentacur, Bissouma now has the experience and ability to take Spurs to the next level.
Furthermore, it gives them another option in what is sure to be a busy schedule, which will include a return to the Champions League.
Adding to the captures of Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster, it is exciting to see who else Spurs will lure to the club this summer.
Conte and Fabio Paratici will next focus on their central defence. Indeed, the capture of a left-sided centre-half has long been a priority this summer.
If they can get that signing right – and perhaps also bring in a new right-back too – then there’s a growing belief that Spurs will have the squad to close that gap on Manchester City and Liverpool next season.
