Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly eyeing a move to trump Arsenal in the race to sign AS Monaco star Wilfried Singo, as per Caught Offside.
Although the Lilywhites won the Europa League title last term, they were awful in the Premier League and finished just above the relegated bottom three teams with 38 points.
They showcased their attacking prowess, netting 64 goals. No teams from the bottom half of the table managed to match that tally, even Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa, who secured European football, scored less than them.
However, the main issue behind their downfall last term was the defensive frailties. Cristian Romero and Micky Van de Ven are the first-choice centre-back pairing, but they struggled with fitness problems, while the Argentinian has been linked with a move away from the club this summer.
Therefore, it appears Tottenham are planning to hire a new defender. Apart from Romero and Van de Ven, the Lilywhites currently have Kevin Danso and Radu Dragusin as the specialist centre-back options, but the Romanian has been out with a serious knee injury.
Caught Offside claim that Tottenham have identified Singo as a serious option to strengthen the defence, and they could intensify talks over this deal soon, with the 24-year-old set to move away from Stade Louis II this summer.
Battle
The Ligue 1 side have placed a £29m price tag on the Ivory Coast international’s head with his existing deal set to run until 2028.
However, Tottenham will have to overcome stiff competition to seal the deal as Arsenal and Newcastle United are also keen on signing him. Additionally, Atletico Madrid and Napoli are in this race as well.
Singo, standing at 6ft 3in tall, is a versatile defender as he is comfortable playing in the centre-back position as well as the right-back role. Moreover, he previously played as a RWB during his time at Torino.
The African is quick, strong, good in the air, comfortable playing out from the back, and is efficient in defensive contributions. He possesses the necessary physical attributes to flourish in the Premier League.
So, he would be a useful acquisition for Arsenal or Tottenham should either club eventually manage to secure his service in this transfer window.