Tottenham Hotspur reportedly want to add Nice full-back Youcef Atal to Jose Mourinho’s Premier League squad.
Reported Tottenham Hotspur target Youcef Atal has been labelled a ‘world-class’ player by Nice team-mate Yanis Hamache, raving about an Algerian international in quotes reported by DZFoot.
You’d need two hands and potentially a foot as well if you want to count up all the exciting full-backs Spurs have been linked with since the turn of the year.
And, according to BILD, Atal is one of many on Jose Mourinho’s radar.
A jet-heeled 23-year-old who has shot to fame over the last 18 months or so on the other side of the Channel, the Nice star is a right-back by trade but it would be rather inaccurate to pigeonhole him in one position.
After all, it was a stunning hat-trick during a 3-0 thrashing of Guingamp last year which saw Atal really catch the eye of the wider public – his superb solo display coming during a rare foray in an unfamiliar left-wing position.
It was the form of Atal which forced 20-year-old Yanis Hamache to join third-tier Red Star on loan last summer, though the youngster can understand why he has been unable to oust his rival in Patrick Vieira’s first-team.
“Atal is a world class player who has exceptional qualities,” Hamache says.
“Atal is a beautiful revelation, he came to Nice and he impressed us all. He is very, very strong.”
Tottenham have looked a little short of quality and depth on both flanks this season so Atal’s ability to play on the right or the left could give him an advantage over the likes of Jamal Lewis, Max Aarons and Timothy Castagne as Mourinho weighs up his options.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
