Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has decided to change his transfer attentions from Anthony Martial to Nice winger Alassane Plea, with Spurs making a €25 million (£22 million) bid for the attacker, according to Foot Mercato.
The North London side have been linked with Manchester United’s France international over the course of this summer, with the player’s agent admitting the blistering forward could leave Old Trafford before next season.
Martial cost United £36 million a couple of years ago and Tottenham would surely need to hand over a bigger fee than this to prise the talented forward away from their Premier League rivals.
With other top teams also linked with a move for the French forward, Spurs may well be considering alternatives.
Tottenham boss Pochettino likes players capable of operating in a number of different positions, hence the reported link to Martial.
While Plea is nowhere near as well-known, the 25-year-old Nice man has similar attributes to his compatriot and has experience of playing as both a winger and a striker.
Tottenham need an alternative to Harry Kane in the striker role, while having another player with pace on the flanks would add strength in depth.
Plea netted 16 Ligue 1 goals last season and the French media report suggest the gifted forward is a ‘Plan B’ for Tottenham this summer.
While signing rising stars always has an element of risk, Spurs have had varying success when looking to French football for new players.
The examples of Georges-Kevin N’Koudou, Benjamin Stambouli, Clinton Njie and Etienne Capoue will be forefront of some supporters’ mind as the link to Plea grows, with most surely hoping Tottenham target more established names than the Nice forward.