Tottenham chiefs Johan Lange and Vinai Venkatesham
Tottenham Hotspur chiefs have been left shocked by Cody Gakpo's decision to reject them to join Manchester City instead, according to TEAMtalk, but there is some good news for the club.
Tottenham had been expecting to make the Liverpool star their ninth summer signing in the coming days, having already reached an agreement in principle with the player on personal terms, according to the report.
Spurs were ready to pay in excess of £75m to bring the Netherlands international to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to link up with new attacking signings Omar Marmoush and Savinho.
The north London outfit were said to be of the opinion that once Liverpool had signed a replacement for Gakpo, that a deal would get over the line quite quickly.
However, it emerged on Saturday night that Man City are in advanced talks over a deal to sign the 27-year-old, with the player rejecting Tottenham to join the eight-time Premier League champions.
According to TEAMtalk, it is a move that has left Spurs chiefs shocked as they looked to land one of Roberto De Zerbi's top transfer targets, but there could be some good news on the horizon for them and the Italian boss in the coming hours.
Sources told the outlet:
“They firmly believed their plan for him was the best option for him, but he now clearly thinks battling for a place at City is the right project.”
Tottenham Closing in on Major Deal
Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
Tottenham may have missed out on Gakpo, but they have put the disappointment behind them quickly as they close in on the signing of Iliman Ndiaye from Everton.
Spurs have reached an agreement in principle to bring the Senegal international to London in a deal worth £60m, with Richarlison set to leave and re-join the Toffees in a separate move worth £35m, with the deals done subject to personal terms being agreed and medicals completed.
It has killed two birds with one stone for De Zerbi, who has offloaded a player who didn't necessarily fit his style and had told him he wanted to leave, with a player who has performed at a high level in the Premier League for the Merseyside outfit.
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Ndiaye is a versatile winger who can play on either flank, and that could prove to be particularly useful to allow him to swap sides with Savinho throughout the campaign.
It will be interesting to see how De Zerbi uses Marmoush in the long-term, but as things stand it appears as though he and Dominic Solanke will fight for the centre-forward spot now Richarlison is set to go.
What is clear is that Spurs need Ndiaye to make an instant impact at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, given the club is without a single goal in their opening two Premier League matches.