Spurs want to sign Nadiem Amiri from Bundesliga high-flyers Hoffenheim – but, thanks to Liverpool, could be left frustrated.
Tottenham Hotspur’s links with Nadiem Amiri just aren’t going away. Bild reported in May 2016 that Spurs had sent scouts to watch the highly-rated Hoffenheim midfielder and it appears that the 21-year-old is still on their radar a year-and-a-half later.
Bild now claim that Tottenham scouts were again in the crowd as Amiri played a starring role in Germany Under-21’s 7-0 thrashing of Azerbaijan last week, netting his third goal for the side.
With the versatile midfielder an integral side of an overachieving Hoffenheim side who confounded the pre-season predictions to finish fourth in the Bundesliga last season, however, it’s hardly a surprise that Spurs are not the only interested party.
The report adds that RB Leipzig are also interested in Amiri. And, inadvertently, Tottenham have Liverpool to thank for making their pursuit of one of Germany’s top young midfielders even more difficult.
It is understood that Leipzig, runners-up behind Bayern last season, have identified Amiri as a potential replacement for Anfield-bound Naby Keita.
According to The Guardian, Liverpool paid a club record £48 million to seal a deal for this Swiss army knife of a midfielder, who will move to Merseyside at the end of the current campaign. And The Reds’ unwavering determination to bring Keita to England could have repercussions for Spurs’ hopes of finally landing Amiri.
The question is, who would Amiri choose? Leipzig, in their second Bundesliga campaign, hardly have the history of Tottenham but their reputation for developing young players like Emil Forsberg and Timo Werner into established European stars makes the Red Bull Arena something of a mecca for highly-rated homegrown talents.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
