Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg wants to join Tottenham as Jose Mourinho adds new right-back to transfer wishlist

Target: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
AFP via Getty Images

Southampton midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg wants to join Tottenham this summer and Spurs could use Kyle Walker-Peters in a deal for the Dane.

Hojbjerg, 24, was stripped of the captaincy at St. Mary's after failing to agree an extension to his contract, which runs for another year, and he has told Saints he would like to join a bigger club.

Spurs are leading the chase for the former Bayern Munich player, who is also a target for Ajax, and are confident of forcing down Southampton's current £35million asking price , in part by using Walker-Peters as a makeweight.

Jose Mourinho wants to sign a holding midfielder after agreeing to play Eric Dier in defence and sees Hojbjerg as a realistic upgrade to his squad.

Walker-Peters has been a regular for Ralph Hasenhuttl's side since the restart, coming on at half-time against Arsenal and starting the next four matches, which have included a win over Manchester City and Monday night's 2-2 draw at Old Trafford.

Hassenhuttl has made signing a right-back permanently a priority in the off-season and he has been impressed by Walker-Peters. Mourinho last week said "there is a place" for the 23-year-old at Spurs but added that the club would not prevent him from leaving if he wants to.

The Spurs manager is also targeting a new right-back but is thought to favour a more physical player to Walker-Peters, who has yet to make a decision on his future.

The situation is further complicated because Serge Aurier is expected to push for a move away from Spurs again in the summer.

Spurs did not receive an adequate bid for the wantaway Ivorian last summer but the club is likely to be more open to offers next month, with Aurier having entered the final two years of his contract and little desire to agree a new deal.

Aurier did not train on Monday following the shocking murder of his brother, Christopher, outside a nightclub in Toulouse and on Tuesday morning it was unclear if he would be available for Wednesday's trip to Newcastle, with Spurs having offered him compassionate leave to return to France.

If Aurier does not feature, Japhet Tanganga could start at right-back, having made a surprise return to the bench for Sunday's north London derby win after recovering from a stress fracture to his back.

Gedson Fernandes and Oliver Skipp have trained at right-back, while Moussa Sissoko and Toby Alderweireld can also play there but are needed in midfield and at centre-half, respectively, particularly with Dier set to serve the third of his four-match ban at St. James' Park.

Dele Alli will be assessed but may not be risked in the north-east as he continues to nurse a niggling hamstring problem.

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