Tottenham are already pushing hard to sign a £75 million player ahead of Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid, as the La Liga giants and Spurs contend for his sought-after signature.
Spurs showcase transfer pull with major January signings
The last window wasn't just a successful one for manager Ange Postecoglou in terms of securing more quality, but it also showcased the club's growing pull.
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This was best demonstrated by Tottenham hijacking Barcelona's deal for teenage sensation Lucas Bergvall on deadline day, with the Spaniards thought to have all but sealed a move for the Swede before Postecoglou's men came knocking.
"Everyone says he is a great player and Deco has been monitoring him for months," said Barcelona president Joan Laporta before Spurs officially confirmed Bergvall's arrival earlier this month.
"We have sent a formal proposal for him and are waiting for an answer. The English clubs have a lot of resources and sometimes it’s difficult for us to compete with them. We know Tottenham want him too and they offered way more money than we do. We have a lot of extremely talented 17-year-olds and there are certain things that we, as a club, can’t offer."
Fellow January signing Radu Dragusin also chose north London over Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, dealing an almighty blow to Harry Kane's side who eventually settled on a loan deal for Spurs outcast Eric Dier.
Radu Dragusin
Arrival
Timo Werner
Arrival
Lucas Bergvall
Arrival
Djed Spence
Exit (loan)
Eric Dier
Exit (loan)
Japhet Tanganga
Exit (loan)
Sergio Reguilon
Exit (loan)
Ivan Perisic
Exit (loan)
Alejo Veliz
Exit (loan)
Ashley Phillips
Exit (loan)
“Yes, that is right. I chose Tottenham because I felt it was the right step for me and I had a really good conversation with the coach," admitted Dragusin on why he chose Spurs over Bayern.
“I saw that they wanted me from a long time ago, like one month before the transfer window, so I thought this is the right choice for me. I really believe in this team and that it is a good environment for me to continue my career and to progress in [Tottenham’s] incredible stadium and [with these] team-mates."
The top-four chasers, after a turbulent last season under Antonio Conte, are appearing to reap the rewards off the field for their appointment of Postecoglou. Tottenham's rejuvenated form, and the general pull of Premier League football, has helped them beat some of world football's biggest clubs to their transfer targets. And now, it is believed they are aiming to pip Real Madrid to Everton starlet Jarrad Branthwaite.
Tottenham making "most concerted effort" to sign Branthwaite
According to The Daily Mail, Spurs and Man United are already "pushing more than most" to sign Branthwaite, with both making the "most concerted effort" ahead of this summer.
Ancelotti's Madrid are also contending and have made an enquiry, but the Lilywhites are believed to be moving forward with more intent at this stage.
Branthwaite's been called a "complete" player by Rudd van Nistelrooy and has starred under Sean Dyche at Everton this season – leading to reports he could cost around £75 million to prise away from Goodison Park.