Man Utd stunned as Tottenham prepare to 'battle' for classy Bundesliga star; price tag revealed
Tottenham are reportedly set to rival Manchester United for Bayer Leverkusen star Odilon Kossounou, who’s considered to be one of the Bundesliga’s best defenders.
Leverkusen’s success this season has been one of the biggest stories of the season so far, with the German club sitting eight points clear at the top of the table.
Europe’s biggest teams are now preparing to raid Xabi Alonso’s squad for the players who’ve helped get Leverkusen to the top.
As reported by TEAMtalk, Man Utd are interested in as many as FOUR of their biggest stars: Jeremie Frimpong, Exequiel Palacios, Edmond Tapsoba and Kossounou, the latter two names being centre-backs.
Man Utd are keen to bolster his defence this summer, with the futures of Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans all uncertain.
The club’s new minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to turn Old Trafford into the best place to develop top young talents and Kossounou, 23, certainly fits into that category.
However, it seems that the Red Devils will have to compete with Tottenham for his signature.
Tottenham join Man Utd in race for Kossounou
According to German outlet SportBILD, Tottenham are ready to ‘battle’ Man Utd for Kossounou after club chiefs identified him as a key target.
It’s claimed that Spurs have been keeping a close eye on the defender for some time and have been very impressed with his development.
Ange Postecoglou has brought in Micky van de Ven this season who’s already had a big impact, but still wants to sign another centre-back.
Kossounou signed for Leverkusen in 2021 and has gradually become one of their most important players. He’s made 15 Bundesliga appearances this season, playing a key role in their title charge.
He also showcased his qualities on the international stage by helping his country, Ivory Coast, win the Africa Cup of Nations last month.
SportBILD confirms that Tottenham and Man Utd are both ‘big admirers’ of Kosssounou, but say they will have to pay a ‘big fee’ to sign him this summer.
Leverkusen will only consider offers in excess of £43m, per the report, so it’ll be interesting to see if either club are willing to stretch that far to bring him in.
