Tottenham Hotspur talks to sign Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba are now "progressing" and the player is "willing" to join them, according to reports.
Who will join Spurs this summer?
Spurs, buoyed by the incoming new manager Ange Postecoglou, are after many fresh faces in a variety of different positions – namely a new goalkeeper, central defender, attacking midfielder and a signing further forward.
The Lilywhites, as per reliable media sources, are closing in on a move for Empoli shot-stopper Guglielmo Vicario with renowned transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano even giving his famous "here we go" to the deal.
With that area of the squad looking resolved, freeing up the potential departure of long-serving No 1 Hugo Lloris, attention may now turn to outfield players.
Spurs are believed to be very keen on Leicester City star James Maddison, with some reports suggesting they're current favourites ahead of Premier League rivals Newcastle United (The Guardian).
Meanwhile, Postecoglou is thought to want more goalscoring options further forward, leading to their previous interest in Nicolas Jackson before Chelsea beat them to the punch (Football Insider).
Central defensive reinforcements are also a major priority at N17, with Wolves defender Max Kilman and Man City's Aymeric Laporte being linked recently.
Tapsoba, though, has been at the centre of Tottenham's interest and there is a belief that the Burkina Faso international tops their list of targets.
According to 90min, there has been a promising update, with Spurs talks "progressing" to sign the defender. Tapsoba, as signalled by his representatives, is "willing" to make the move to north London.
Liverpool, Man United, Newcastle and even Arsenal are in the mix as well, but it's Tottenham who are more actively pursuing the African.
This comes after Spurs scouts, on recent trips to watch Tapsoba's teammate Piero Hincapie, were left impressed by the former.
Who is Edmond Tapsoba?
The 24-year-old was untouchable in Xabi Alonso's starting eleven last season, with goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky being the only player in their squad to feature over more Bundesliga minutes (WhoScored).
Tapsoba also averaged more clearances per 90 domestically than all of his Leverkusen teammates bar Jonathan Tah, highlighting his reliability at the heart of central defence (WhoScored).
It's little surprise members of the press, like freelance commentator Mark Lovell, have heaped praise on the "top quality" player in recent seasons.
Spurs conceded more league goals than any other side above 15th last season, so given their desperate need for solidarity at the back, Tapsoba could be a fruitful option.
