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29 March 2024

Spurs in Arsenal blow - Vertonghen, Damiao

Ajax captain Jan Vertonghen heading to English Premier League. (FILE)

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By Staff

Spurs are determined to steal a march over their north London rivals Arsenal who pipped them to third place.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy was in Holland on Monday trying to clinch a deal for Ajax centre back Jan Vertonghen, according to the Daily Mail.

Levy flew to Amsterdan to persuade Vertonghen that Spurs remain a club with a bright future, despite missing out on Champions League qualification.

The 25-year-old Belgium defender had been on Arsenal's radar and was expected to team up with Thomas Vermaleun.

Tottenham are also edging closer to signing £15 million-rated Brazilian hitman Leandro Damiao.

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp sent chief scout Ian Broomfield to South America to watch the striker in action for Internacional on Sunday night.

Damiao could be purchased ahead of Emmanuel Adebayor, who spent the season on loan at the club from Manchester City, but whose wage demands might prove a stumbling block.

With Tottenham set to miss out on Lille’s Eden Hazard, they have Fulham forward Moussa Dembele and Blackburn winger Junior Hoilett in their sights.

Levy is willing to splash some cash after Tottenham missing out on the Champions League despite finishing fourth.

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Why Arsenal and Man Utd want Dembele

Arsenal and Manchester United are ready to pounce on midfielder Moussa Dembele who is set to reject Fulham’s new contract offer.

The midfielder has a year left but Martin Jol’s attempt to convince him to sign a new deal seem to have failed, according to the Daily Mail.

Liverpool and Tottenham also admire the Belgian who is set for a summer exit.

Man Utd to buy Dembele to match Yaya Toure

Manchester City's title run-in has certainly ruffled feathers at Old Trafford with Manchester United going into panic buying mode.

United are lining up a £10 million bid for Fulham's attacking midfielder Mousa Dembele, with Paul Scholes yet to decide whether he will play on for next season, according to the Daily Mail.

United are already planning to rebuild their side to regain the title next term with Dembele being the first of a number of signings.

The 24-year old Belgium midfielder has made an impact since his £5m move from AZ Alkmaar in 2010, especially after Fulham manager Martin Jol dropped him back into a deeper central-midfield role in the 2-1 win over Stoke in February.

He has only scored twice this season, but has been instrumental in Fulham's rise to ninth and is seen as a ready-made replacement for Scholes, 37, who was forced out of retirement.
 
With Lille's attacking midfielder Eden Hazard likely to join City, Ferguson must find cover for Darren Fletcher, who has a long-term illness, and Tom Cleverley, who has been prone to injury problems throughout the current campaign.

The United boss is an admirer of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Shinji Kagawa and flew to Germany on Saturday to watch the Japanese international, who scored the opening goal in their 5-2 win over Bayern Munich in the German Cup Final.

Ferguson, also interested in Kagawa's team-mate Mario Goetze, will have talks with Scholes in an attempt to persuade him to extend his comeback for another season, the report added.

"I will speak to Paul," said Ferguson. "Obviously he made a tremendous contribution when he came back. But it was his decision to return and I will respect whatever he wants to do.

"I haven't discussed it with him yet, to be honest. I think I made that mistake last season, talking to him before the season had finished.

"It is better getting the season over and having a break and I may not speak to him before he has been away on holiday."