Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are reportedly in a battle over a deal to sign Bayer Leverkusen star Odilon Kossounou this summer, as per the German outlet Sport Bild.
After moving to BayArena from Club Brugge back in 2021, the 23-year-old has established himself as a key member in Xavi Alonso’s starting eleven this term, guiding his side to a title charge.
The defender has also showcased his qualities on the international stage, helping his country, Ivory Coast, win the AFCON earlier this month.
So, it appears having been impressed by the African’s recent impressive performances, several big clubs around Europe have registered their interest in signing him, including Man Utd and Tottenham.
Citing and translating the print version of Sport Bild, Sport Witness has reported that Tottenham have been keeping a close eye on the development of Kossounou before making a potential swoop for him this summer.
Battle
The report further claims that Leverkusen don’t want to let their star man leave for anything less than £43m so Tottenham will have to spend a big fee to lure the defender to the newly renovated White Hart Lane.
However, Sport Bild states that signing Kossounou won’t be easy for the North London club as Man Utd have also been monitoring the defender in recent times ahead of a possible summer move.
With Raphael Varane’s future hanging in balance at Old Trafford as his current contract is set to expire at the end of this season, signing a new defender to replace the Frenchman would be the right decision for the Red Devils.
Kossounou, standing at 6ft 3in tall, is a centre-back by traits but can also be deployed in the right-back position. He is quick, strong, good in the air, comfortable playing out from the back, efficient in defensive contributions and also reads the game well.
He is a talented player and could be a solid acquisition for Man Utd or Tottenham if either club manage to secure his signature in the upcoming transfer window.
However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the North London club or Man Utd eventually manage to purchase Kossounou to reinforce their backline this summer.
