Spurs Target Wantaway Lazio Star Amid Ongoing Interest in Ajax Prodigy

Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be carefully monitoring Lazio striker Keita Baldé, who remains in contract deadlock with his club as he enters the last 12 months of his deal. The Senegalese sensation is believed to be eager to join Serie A giants Juventus, and was left out of his side's Supercoppa Italiana squad while his future remains unclear with I Biancocelesti.

According to the Mirror, Spurs have emerged as the frontrunners to sign the wantaway forward, as Lazio are thought to be unwilling to sell to a Serie A rival. The 22-year-old had a breakthrough season for Lazio in the 2016/17 campaign, scoring 18 goals and contributing six assists in 34 appearances.

The prodigious young talent is also being closely monitored by West Ham and Ligue 1 side Monaco, who may be able to snap up Baldé at a bargain price given his contract status. The player is believed to be convinced that his future remains away from Lazio, and could well jump at the chance to make a name for himself in the highly entertaining English Premier League.

Spurs are also believed to be close to securing the services of powerful Ajax centre-back Davinson Sánchez, who is on the verge of joining the club in a £35m deal. The 21-year-old Columbian is being hotly tipped as star defender for the future, and could flourish at the North London club given manager Mauricio Pochettino's keen talent for developing young players.

Many Spurs fans have begun to question their club's ambition for this season, given that they are yet to sign a single player as their contemporaries continue to splash the cash. Last season's Premier League runners-up boast a mouth-watering array of young talent, and Pochettino will be hoping to develop his side into serial winners over the next few seasons.