Tottenham are no longer pursuing Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt, according to football.london journalist Alasdair Gold.
De Ligt had emerged as a potential candidate to replace Toby Alderweireld, who is expected to leave the club this summer after failing to agree terms on a new contract.
Alderweireld has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United in recent weeks, and Spurs had reportedly made De Ligt a priority target as a result.
In fact, reports went as far to claim Tottenham had made an offer in the region of £48 million for the teenager, who has been a sensation in the Eredivisie since breaking into the Ajax team at a young age.
Already a full Netherlands international at just 18, De Ligt is rated among the best young players in Europe.
However, according to Gold, Spurs do not plan on taking their interest to the next level by making an official offer.
Gold provided the update on Twitter.
Disappointingly I’m hearing that Matthijs de Ligt is no longer on the menu for Spurs. A player they’ve looked at in recent months but won’t be following up on with anything formal. Shame, a terrific young player with heaps of potential.
— Alasdair Gold (@AlasdairGold) June 6, 2018
De Ligt would have been an ideal replacement for Alderweireld, although Tottenham perhaps already a possess a young player with plenty of potential in Juan Foyth.
Whether the Argentinian will be used more regularly next season remains to be seen.
