Tottenham preparing club record deal for Premier League centre-back – but Arsenal are also involved

Michael Keane Tottenham

Spurs are said to be readying a £50m offer for Everton stopper Michael Keane, according to the Express – but face a fight from their north London rivals.

Tottenham are expected to lose Toby Alderweireld to his cut-price £25m release clause this summer, which would leave Mauricio Pochettino with only Jan Vertonghen, Davinson Sanchez and Juan Foyth as senior options at centre-back.

Pochettino will demand resources from Daniel Levy after a fallow year in the transfer window, and the 26-year-old Keane is seen as a viable long-term option at the heart of defence, according to the report.

The England international was a £25m arrival from Burnley in July 2017 and, after a slow start, has eventually asserted himself at Goodison Park.

But Keane, who started England’s last two European championship qualifiers and scored against Montenegro, may also be a target for Spurs’ local rivals Arsenal.

Unai Emery is searching for a top-class stopper to help ease the strain on a traditionally leaky rearguard and Keane could fall within the Gunners’ budget.

Keane will get the chance to impress Emery once again when Everton take on Arsenal at Goodison Park on Sunday.

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Joe Brewin

Joe was the Deputy Editor at FourFourTwo until 2022, having risen through the FFT academy and been on the brand since 2013 in various capacities. 

By weekend and frustrating midweek night he is a Leicester City fan, and in 2020 co-wrote the autobiography of former Foxes winger Matt Piper – subsequently listed for both the Telegraph and William Hill Sports Book of the Year awards.