Tottenham look set to bide their time in their pursuit of Ross Barkley, according to Sky Sports.
That follows reports claiming Spurs have cooled their interest in signing the Everton midfielder this summer.
Barkley rejected a new contract offer from Everton at the end of last season and is expected to move on in the coming weeks.
Spurs had reportedly been in pole position to sign Barkley, but The Mirror claims the club has “growing reservations” about the midfielder.
The report suggests Tottenham simply don’t think Barkley is worth buying given the strength they already have in the attacking midfield positions.
But those suggestions appear to be premature, with Sky Sports now reporting Spurs are simply waiting for Everton to lower their asking price as the transfer window progresses.
These are typical Daniel Levy tactics. The Tottenham chairman obviously thinks he can sign Barkley on the cheap, particularly considering the 23-year-old has just 12 months left on his current contract.
The concern is another club could swoop in with a big offer before the price comes down enough for Spurs to make a bid.
I would honestly just like to Barkley brought in and get as much of a full pre season as possible at Hotspur Way, whilst we are the only team. Once the league starts, an injury to a big spending team box to box or even attacking mid could see them take barkley just to put on the bench. Barkley is a player who could potentially take us up a gear. We need another top drawer creative attacking midfielder to add to Eriksen, Alli, Son and Lamela but in reality we can only play 3 of them at the same time, making an attacking threat 4 with Kane. With Barkley in the box to box role, he gives us the option to make that an attacking threat 5 and if he can learn from Dembele to do the defensive side next to Dier and Wanyama, we will be lethal.
40m and you can have him!
£20m and they can have him!! Hes shite! Cant wait for them to realise this after levy has wasted £20-£30m plus £140,000 a week wages. He honestly would only be a squad player at Everton now. Dont believe me? Just wait and see!
I think Poch can improve him, he certainly wont go public, if he thinks he had a bad game, like Kooman did. What about Sissoko plus £10M?
Hes not bright enough to learn. Hes absolutely thick as. Everything he has os a gift. Bo brains to learn anything new.
Some of the best footballers have been brainless, Gazza, George Best, Rooney, even Maradona and Messi, so as long as you are a footballing genius, that is all that is important.
But he isnt though…. we will see anyway.