Levy Hoping To Beat Arsenal + Man Utd To Dutch Starlet

The January transfer window may have slammed shut but clubs will still be working hard behind the scenes at identifying targets for the summer, so we’ll bring you all the latest news, gossip and rumours. Today, Spurs make the first move for Joel Veltman.

Tottenham Hotspur have stolen a march on rivals Arsenal and Manchester United after making contact with Ajax over the potential signing of wonderkid Joel Veltman, according to the Mirror.

The 22-year-old has been attracting interest from some of Europe’s top clubs this season with reports earlier this week claiming scouts from the likes of Arsenal and United were in the stands to watch him in action against Groningen recently.

It seems Spurs have now thrown their hat in to the ring as well with the Mirror reporting today that chairman Daniel Levy has already made contact with the Dutch giants and is working hard to secure a deal.

However, it appears any interested party is going to have a fight on their hands in trying to persuade Ajax to sell the highly-rated defender any time soon.

The clubs director of football, and former Arsenal winger, Marc Overmars issued a ‘hands-off’ warning to the Premier League clubs recently, insisting it’s too early for Veltman to leave and he’ll do everything he can to stop him being sold this summer.

 “I will fight to keep Veltman. We don’t want him to go. He is a massive talent and players have been leaving this club too early in their careers.

“Veltman is a sensation. We never expected him to make such an amazing breakthrough at top level. But that’s down to the work of Jaap Stam.

“Joel gets defensive lessons from the biggest of all defenders. Jaap has been working on him really hard with individual coaching at Ajax.’’

“I love doing deals and I love a good transfer. But they can’t have this boy Veltman. I will barricade the doors and I will go and stand behind the door myself to stop them from taking him. He means too much to us.” Overmars is quoted as saying by the Mirror.

Veltman joined Ajax as a 10-year-old and came through the youth academy before breaking into the first team set up last season. The Dutch outfit are renowned for developing world class talent but they also have a reputation for cashing in on their brightest young stars, and they may find it difficult to keep hold of Veltman if the likes of Arsenal, United and Spurs make formal moves this summer.

The defender does still have three years left on his current contract, so Ajax are under no immediate pressure to sell, but the player will know he can get much more than his £10,000-a-week wages in England so may push for a move unless he’s offered much better terms by the Eredivisie champions.

READ MORE –> Arsenal transfer news | Man Utd transfer news | Spurs transfer news

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