Just a day or so ago it was being reported that Arsenal where on the verge of completing the signing of William Saliba, however, that may not quite be the case.
Reports are now claiming that Tottenham is making an eleventh-hour bid to sign the 18-year-old defender.
Apparently, Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has made contact with Saliba’s club, St Etienne to register his interest in the teenager.
The Champions League finalists have already been talking to both the player and his representatives according to the report.
For weeks now it was assumed that all Arsenal had to do was agree on terms with the Ligue 1 side with the sticking point being St Etienne’s demand that the player is loaned back for a year.
Saliba is valued at £20 Million and because of the limited transfer budget that Arsenal have if it comes to a bidding war then the chances are Tottenham will prevail.
If Arsenal loses out to their bitter North London rivals it will be a body blow. Unai Emery is desperate to rebuild his defence and Saliba was one of his primary targets.
The Arsenal defence is in need of surgery and according to multiple reports Emery is targeting quality young defenders but each transfer seems to have issues.
The club has struggled to agree to terms with St Etienne and their attempts at signing Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney have been ridiculed for an opening low ball offer.