Tottenham are reportedly close to signing midfielder wonderkid Eljif Elmas from Fenerbahce, in what could be a stunning piece of transfer business by chairman Daniel Levy.
Turkish journalist Levent Ümit Erol, via the SuperHaber website, has reported that Elmas, 19, is nearing a move to North London in a deal that could see Fenerbahce pocket £17.2million.
IS HE SPECIAL?
Elmas has been in red-hot form since joining Fenerbahce last summer. The North Macedonia international has made 34 appearances in all competitions for the Turkish giants, scoring one goal in the process which came in a 1-0 win against Konyaspor in September. Elmas has shown outstanding versatility in his debut campaign at Fenerbahce, playing in varying roles in the midfield and on the left-wing. Hurriyet has since reported that Lazio and Fiorentina have been interested in taking Elmas to Italy in the summer, but it appears as though Spurs have stolen a march on the Serie A sides with a deal now said to be close for them. Levy’s decision to sanction funds for this £17.2million swoop could see the London club strike gold in the future as the Fenerbahce wonderkid could be worth a lot more than that in the future.
WHERE WILL HE FIT INTO TEAM?
Spurs need to add to their midfield in the summer after Mousa Dembele left in the summer and speculation surrounding the future of Christian Eriksen. Elmas can play in a defensive, central or attacking midfield role and having him continue his development while filling in the gaps in Mauricio Pochettino’s first team could be a masterstroke move. It would be a real shock if Elmas was to sign for Tottenham and then be a key player straight away, but that might happen within a couple of seasons if his rise continues.
INTERESTING FACT
Elmas scored his first two goals for North Macedonia in March when they beat Latvia 3-1 in a Euro 2020 qualifier.