Southampton accept £25 million bid from Everton for Pierre-Emile HojbjergTottenham remain in the race to sign the midfielder after tabling an offer of their own
By
Jeremy Wilson,
CHIEF SPORTS REPORTER and
Jason Burt,
CHIEF FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT
Southampton have accepted a bid from Everton of around £25 million for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, but Tottenham Hotspur are still in the race after also finally tabling an offer of their own. Tottenham’s bid currently falls short of Southampton’s valuation and, although they are now ready to sell Hojbjerg to Everton, Jose Mourinho has still not given up hope of recruiting the former Bayern Munich midfielder. Hojbjerg has only one year left on his contract and so could leave for nothing next year, meaning that he will also have some considerable say over his future destination. The 24-year-old was stripped by manager Ralph Hasenhuttl of the Southampton captaincy and replaced by James Ward-Prowse earlier this summer after deciding that he would not sign a new deal. Spurs emerged as early favourites to sign the Dane but Everton made the first formal bid, of around £18 million, which was rejected last week. There have since been discussions over a player plus cash deal which could include Tottenham right-back Kyle Walker-Peters converting his loan move to the south-coast club to a permanent transfer. Walker-Peters has been in the Southampton team since the season re-started after making a loan move in January and, although he wants to remain, Southampton would prefer to keep the negotiations separate. Mourinho will have to raise funds in the transfer market if he wants to make signings during the forthcoming window and Southampton were last night waiting to see if Spurs would now return with a new bid that at least matches Everton's offer.
Spurs have been badly affected by the impact of the coronavirus, which is limiting the changes Mourinho can make, although he will hope to secure moves away for Danny Rose and Juan Foyth. Spurs are reluctant to sell Tanguy Ndombele partly, because they know they cannot demand anywhere near the £63million fee they paid for the midfielder who has figured little under Mourinho.
Losing out on Hojbjerg would be a blow to Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti who is pushing hard for the club to invest this summer as he seeks to overhaul an under-performing team.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/07/21/southampton-accept-25-million-bid-everton-pierre-emile-hojbjerg/ [ 此帖被羅力亞在2020-08-12 03:09重新編輯 ]
