Tottenham’s attempt to sign Georges-Kévin Nkoudou is on the brink of collapse after a breakdown in negotiations with Marseille over the £11m winger.
Nkoudou had looked set to complete his protracted transfer to White Hart Lane this week after the Cameroon forward Clinton Njie received his work permit to move the other way on a season-long loan. However, despite reassurances the deal would go ahead from sources close to the player, it is understood Marseille are unhappy with the structure of the payments being proposed by the Tottenham chairman, Daniel Levy, having previously agreed to pay the majority of the fee up front.
Reports in France on Tuesday claimed that following the departure of the Marseille president, Vincent Labrune, after the club was sold, Levy attempted to renegotiate the offer for Nkoudou, who completed his medical almost three weeks ago and has been in London ever since. A new offer comprising an initial £4.2m that could eventually reach £11m is said to have fallen way short of Marseille’s valuation. Spurs are now understood to be ready to walk away from the deal.
It is also understood the breakdown is connected to Paul Mitchell’s imminent departure as Tottenham’s head of recruitment, although the club have insisted that is not the case. The 34-year-old was prised from Southampton in November 2014 and followed the manager, Mauricio Pochettino, from St Mary’s to White Hart Lane. He was keen to add Nkoudou – a 21-year-old who scored 10 goals in all competitions last season – to the purchase of the Holland striker Vincent Janssen, with Pochettino having convinced the former Nantes player to move to Spurs after speaking to him on the phone.
Tottenham could turn their attentions elsewhere, with Lille’s Sofiane Boufal having been linked in the past. However, with Mitchell having played a significant role in identifying targets, it remains to be seen whether they have an alternative in mind, meaning Njie and the Belgium forward Nacer Chadli could be forced to stay put.
