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Tottenham enter Luis Diaz talks as transfer plans accelerate with three signings wanted

Tottenham enter Luis Diaz talks as transfer plans accelerate with three signings wanted - Getty Images
Tottenham enter Luis Diaz talks as transfer plans accelerate with three signings wanted - Getty Images

Tottenham Hotspur have opened talks over a move for Porto attacker Luis Diaz as the club steps up its attempts to move players in and out during the closing days of the transfer window.

Telegraph Sport reported that head coach Antonio Conte wants a right wing-back, a midfielder and an attacker before the end of the month with Spurs looking to offload Paris Saint-Germain target Tanguy Ndombele, Dele Alli, who Southampton have expressed an interest in, and Giovani Lo Celso.

There is growing confidence that a deal to sign Adama Traore, who Conte plans to convert into a right wing-back, will be agreed with Wolverhampton Wanderers, while it has emerged that the Italian has also recommended Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat.

Diaz, though, is perhaps the most exciting of Tottenham’s targets and the interest in the Colombia international is being driven by managing director of football Fabio Paratici.

Porto are believed to value Diaz at around more than £40million and the player’s release clause is set at £66m, which could provide a significant obstacle for Spurs if they cannot raise any money through sales, but that has not stopped Paratici opening talks.

Predominantly a wide player, Diaz has scored 14 goals in 18 league appearances for Portugal this season and finished as joint top scorer with Lionel Messi at last year’s Copa America.

The 25-year-old would give Tottenham far greater attacking threat and take some of the goalscoring burden off striker Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son, who has been out injured.

Conte is a fan of Amrabat and Tottenham have enquired about taking the Morocco international on loan for the rest of the season to add bite to the club’s midfield. Spurs have also held talks with AC Milan over Franck Kessie, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

Morocco's midfielder Sofyan Amrabat (L) fights for the ball with Gabon's midfielder Guelor Kanga Kaku - AFP
Morocco's midfielder Sofyan Amrabat (L) fights for the ball with Gabon's midfielder Guelor Kanga Kaku - AFP

A move for Amrabat has been complicated slightly by the player’s representation, but that has not put off Tottenham trying to act on Conte’s advice.

Wolves have been hanging on for a fee closer to £20m for Traore, having rejected a first Tottenham bid of £15m, and Spurs are increasingly optimistic that an agreement will be reached.

Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy face an extremely busy few days with Tottenham also working hard to try to offload players before the transfer window shuts next Monday night.

It appears the club’s only hope of finding a new home for club record signing Ndombele will be to loan him to PSG, with the player only interested in linking up with his old manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Ndombele is ready to reject any other proposals, which leaves Spurs needing to find an agreement with PSG. There is not thought to be any realistic chance of a swap deal with the players the PSG would let go and who might join Tottenham not of any interest to Conte.

Dele has been linked with Newcastle United and Everton, but it is Southampton who have shown an interest in taking the former England international on loan until the end of the season. Whether or not they are prepared to cover his full wages, which are in excess of £100,000-a-week, remains to be seen.

Brighton, through the club’s technical director, Dan Ashworth, who knows the player from his time with England, are thought to be watching the Dele situation and there is also interest from Germany.

Lo Celso has been linked with Sevilla, but the fact he is away on international duty with Argentina and is annoyed at being left out of the squad for last weekend’s defeat at Chelsea means the midfielder could be difficult to re-home before the window shuts.

Japhet Tanganga, who is a target of AC Milan, and Matt Doherty could also leave on loan, while Jack Clarke is due to have a medical at Sunderland ahead of a loan move.