Klopp & Conte Set to Challenge Tottenham in the Race for Hoffenheim Defender Jeremy Toljan

Tottenham's hunt for 22-year-old Jeremy Toljan could be about to become a lot more competitive, with Liverpool and Chelsea entering the race for his signature. 

The Stuttgart-born defender was an important part of TSG Hoffenheim's incredible season last year, reaching the Champions League qualifying stage for the first time in the club's history after a fourth place finish in the Bundesliga.

Toljan was kept out of action for a small part of last season with a cracked tendon, however, 21 appearances in all competitions kept him at the forefront of Julian Nagelsmann's side. Naturally a left-back by trade, Toljan was deployed as a left-midfielder and a right-midfielder last season, retaining a lot of defensive duties in Nagelsmann's unorthodox 3-5-2 formation.

Toljan jumped to the top of Mauricio Pochettino's transfer targets following the £50m sale of Kyle Walker to Manchester City, according to the Express. 

Although Tottenham defender Kieran Trippier is seen as a good enough replacement for the Lillywhites, Toljan would add a great amount of depth and versatility to a Spurs side who will be spending their busy 2017/18 schedule at Wembley.

Hoffenheim's director of football Alexander Rosen confirmed that should Spurs move for Toljan, it will be an offer hard for the 22-year-old defender to turn down.

"If Tottenham come in and offer to treble Toljan's salary, you cannot say: 'London is an unattractive city or Tottenham are a bad club'. This is all very positive, and then young people think about it," he admitted

Antonio Conte and Jürgen Klopp are also monitoring the young defender, whose current contract in Baden-Württemberg expires next summer. Toljan, who won the Under-21 European Championships with Germany, is one of his country's most prosing full backs, along with Bayer Leverkusen youngster Benjamin Henrichs.