Tottenham Hotspur are keen to sign Blackburn Rovers defender Ashley Phillips – but their offers to date have not been successful.
Reports of Tottenham’s interest in Phillips first broke earlier this month as The Telegraph reported that Spurs were keen.
It looked like Tottenham’s pursuit would become even more complicated when The Sun reported that Manchester United, Everton and Chelsea were in the race too.
The Express now claim that Tottenham actually failed with two bids for Phillips in January.
It’s stated that Tottenham had bids rising up to £5million included bonuses rejected with Blackburn unwilling to sell.
Tottenham are already planning to make new bid this summer though, believing they can get their man eventually.
Spurs will of course have to fend off those other clubs in the race for Phillips, and it looks likely that any fee will now push towards eight figures.
Phillips, 16, is considered to be Blackburn’s best youth academy graduate since Phil Jones emerged at Ewood Park and has been branded ‘phenomenal’ by Tony Mowbray.
The centre back hasn’t yet made his senior debut for Blackburn but was on the bench for the January FA Cup tie against Wigan Athletic.
Blackburn have very high hopes for Phillips, but this is the nature of being a Championship club with a top prosect; the Premier League clubs come calling.
Tottenham are now hoping to add Phillips to their development squad, but will have to pay a huge fee to make it happen.
Spurs did raid Wigan Athletic for Alfie Devine in 2020, but he came at a fraction of the cost expected for Phillips.
The summer window may be many months away, but Tottenham seemingly have their first target in mind already.
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