A trio of Premier League clubs, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, and Bournemouth, are reportedly in a race to sign promising PSG center-back Axel Tape, who is set to leave the club as a free agent this summer.
The PSG youth academy continues to produce top talent, with Warren Zaire-Emery and Senny Mayulu among the latest to make their mark. However, not every young player gets the same opportunity, and some may need to look elsewhere to move forward, which is the case for Tape.
At 17, Axel Tape made his senior debut under Luis Enrique in January, starting in a Coupe de France win over Espaly. He has alsobeen included in five matchday squads across Ligue 1 and the Champions League.
Tape stood out with the PSG Under-19 team this season, scoring three goals in 11 appearances and showing he can contribute going forward despite playing as a defender.
Tottenham, Chelsea persistin securing PSG talent
Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham Hotspur
Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Sports Zone reported on Saturday that PSG no longer expects Axel Tape to reverse his decision — the young defenderis set to leave the club this summer. Bayer Leverkusen currentlylead the race for his signature, but Bournemouth, Tottenham, and Chelsea are all showing strong interest in his profile. A final decisionis expected soon.
🚨 EXCL. Malgré des tentatives encore récentes, Paris estime désormais qu’Axel Tape ne reviendra pas sur sa décision : il va quitter le PSG cet été. 👋
Si le Bayer Leverkusen est en pole, Bournemouth, Tottenham et Chelsea apprécient énormément son profil.
DĂ©cision Ă venir. pic.twitter.com/xKBc8CeeeN
— SPORTS ZONE (@SportsZone__) May 17, 2025
The main reason behindthe decision is reportedly PSG’sstrong defensive depth, with Marquinhos, Lucas Beraldo, Lucas Hernandez, Willian Pachoand Presnel Kimpembe all ahead of him in the pecking order.
Withfirst-team opportunities looking limited, Tape has decided to explore other options, and both Tottenham and Bayer Leverkusen are reportedly working to secure a deal.