Tottenham keen on young £12m midfielder likened to John McGinn

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Tottenham Hotspur have had a very mixed season so far, recording some outstanding results but also delivering some real horror shows.

With the January transfer window on the horizon, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou may well look to bolster his ranks.

Now, according to GiveMeSport, Tottenham have rekindled their interest in a midfielder they were after in the summer.

Said player has made a name for himself as of the best progressive ball carriers around and has been likened to Aston Villa star John McGinn.

Tottenham up against West Ham and Crystal Palace for Andy Diouf

The player in question is Lens midfielder Andy Diouf and, according to GiveMeSport, Spurs have been keeping a particularly close eye on his performances.

Tottenham are in the race for Diouf alongside West Ham and Crystal Palace, who have also been scouting the 21-year-old.

Indeed, the report claims Spurs have left the Hammers and the Eagles concerned due to their interest in Diouf.

Tottenham were linked with the Frenchman last summer along with Manchester City and Aston Villa.

Spurs have also been linked with Leicester City attacking midfielder Facundo Buonanotte.

Andy Diouf factfile

Diouf played for several French clubs at youth level, including Paris Saint-Germain, before joining Rennes and rising through their ranks.

He enjoyed a fruitful spell on loan at Basel and ended up signing for them permanently in May 2023, only to then join Lens a few months later for €14million (around £12million).

Diouf has gone on to make a real name for himself at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, making 43 appearances for Les Sang et Or and also claiming one goal and two assists.

As per FBRef, the reported Tottenham target is in the 98th percentile for progressive carries per match (4.18) and for successful take-ons (2.12 per match).

The stats website also named John McGinn as the player most similar to Diouf, with Wilson Odobert, Nicolo Barella and Adrien Rabiot also on the list.

Meanwhile, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout likened Diouf to Saul Niguez and gave him a rating of 8/10 in terms of his potential.