Tottenham now make direct contact to sign “fantastic” £26m English defender

Tottenham Hotspur have now directly contacted a “fantastic” defender’s club, in order to assess the possibility of a potential deal, according to a report.

Spurs looking to bolster full-back options despite Spence renewal

Tottenham are relatively well-stocked in the full-back department, given that Thomas Frank has Destiny Udogie at his disposal at left-back and Pedro Porro on the opposite flank, while Djed Spence is capable of playing on either side.

Despite a rocky start to his career at Spurs, Spence has now done enough to earn a new long-term contract, and the full-back has admitted he is delighted to extend his stay in north London.

That said, given that Spence has predominantly featured on the left in recent times, Frank may want to bring in another full-back to provide competition for Porro on the right, and Manchester City’s Rico Lewis was recently identified as a potential option.

Last week, intermediaries made contact with the Lilywhites over a potential deal, and Frank’s side have now stepped up their interest, having made direct contact with Man City.

That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Tottenham have now submitted an enquiry to City about Lewis, but there could be fierce competition for the full-back’s signature, with a number of rival Premier League clubs also keen.

Indeed, Chelsea, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest have all made approaches for the 20-year-old, with the Tricky Trees even submitting an offer worth €30m (£26m), which was knocked back by the Blues.

That said, it remains to be seen whether a deal will be possible, with Pep Guardiola keen to keep hold of the youngster, while also recently saying: “I think he’s going to stay, I think. He told me that. But, I said, maybe tomorrow, after tomorrow, it’ll change.”

“Fantastic” Lewis could challenge for Porro’s starting spot

Once lauded as “fantastic” by Guardiola, the English starlet has managed to repay his manager’s faith in him by establishing himself as an important player for City, making 28 appearances in the Premier League in the 2024-25 campaign.

During that time, the Bury-born defender has also showcased his versatility, featuring at left-back and even in central midfield, although right-back is the five-time England international’s favoured position.

As such, Lewis would most likely be brought in as a direct competitor to Porro, and he could have the potential to usurp the Spaniard on a long-term basis, considering Pep has stated the City ace is “one of the best” players he has trained.

That said, it could be difficult for the full-back to displace the 25-year-old in the Tottenham starting XI, given that Porro has outperformed him in both an attacking and defensive sense over the past year.