Tottenham is reportedly ramping up efforts to acquire English prospect Chris League (17).
The British media outlet Sports Illustrated reported on the 26th (Korean time) that "Tottenham has proposed a transfer fee of approximately £38 million (about 72 billion won) to sign League, a midfielder from Sunderland, during the March international match break."
With a midfield overhaul on the horizon, Tottenham is considering League as a long-term core asset.
League is a midfielder born in 2007 who primarily uses his left foot as a central player. He is adept at consolidating the links between offense and defense based on excellent pressure resistance and spatial awareness. He has been praised for his vision and game management skills, which are not typical of a teenager. Additionally, he is a versatile player who can be utilized not only as a central midfielder but also as an attacking midfielder.
He made his first-team debut for Sunderland at the age of 15 years and 203 days on January 15, 2023, making him the youngest player to ever compete for the club. To date, he has played in over 60 official matches, recording 7 goals and 1 assist.
League plays a key role in Sunderland's promotion race in this season's Premier League. Despite his young age, he has participated in 34 league matches, scoring 4 goals and providing 1 assist. His performance has attracted the attention of several big clubs across Europe.
Tottenham has recently focused on bringing in young talent from the Championship (second division). Last summer, they acquired Archie Gray from Leeds United for a transfer fee of £34 million (about 64.4 billion won).
Sports Illustrated predicted that League's transfer fee could exceed this. Should the transfer go through, it would also set a new record for the highest transfer fee in Sunderland's history. Sunderland previously sold Jordan Pickford to Everton for £25 million (about 47.3 billion won) in 2017.
League has been consistently selected for England's youth national teams. Last year, he participated in the European Championship as part of the Under-17 (U17) national team. He is currently called up to the Under-18 (U18) national team. The senior national team also regards him as a promising talent.
Tottenham has recently been intensively acquiring young prospects from various countries in Europe. In the past year, they have signed players including Gray, Lucas Berival, Yang Min-hyuk, and Mason Melia. They are also considering reinforcing their midfield in this summer's transfer market. On the other hand, veteran players such as Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur are being considered for sale.
Another British media outlet, TeamTalk, noted that "Ange Postecoglou, the Tottenham manager, has publicly criticized Bissouma. His future has become uncertain. Since Bentancur's contract expires in 2026, he could also be considered for sale this summer." It has been reported that Atletico Madrid is interested in Bentancur.
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