Bournemouth have rejected a £20 million bid from Tottenham Hotspur for defender Lloyd Kelly on the final day of the Premier League transfer window.
When you think back to reports at the start of the summer suggesting that Alessandro Bastoni and Josko Gvardiol were among Tottenham’s top targets for the left-sided centre-back role, it is difficult not to feel ever-so-slightly underwhelmed by Spurs’ interest in Lloyd Kelly.
But do not sleep on the Bristol-born 24-year-old.
Kelly has been excellent since Bournemouth returned to the Premier League; then-head coach Gary O’Neil labelling him an ‘incredible’ talent after the former Bristol City man kept Mo Salah quiet during an outstanding 1-0 win over Liverpool in the spring.
Tottenham make Lloyd Kelly bid
But, with so little time left in the window for Bournemouth to find a replacement of adequate quality, The Athletic reports that Tottenham’s £20 million offer has been directed immediately into the nearest waste paper basket.
Tottenham are in the market for another defender; Eric Dier, Japhet Tanganga and Davinson Sanchez not part of Ange Postecoglou’s plans. Tanganga is likely to join Augsburg in the Bundesliga. Perhaps Spurs could sweeten the deal by offering Dier or Sanchez as part of the negotiations for Kelly. Thus, handing Bournemouth the opportunity to instantly fill a void at the heart of Andoni Iraola’s backline.
Tottenham also hope to sign Nottingham Forest’s Brennan Johnson on deadline day. Chelsea’s Connor Gallagher is another target.
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