TOTTENHAM could enter the race for French defender Dayot Upamecano in the summer, after boss Jose Mourinho ran the rule over the 21-year-old over the weekend.
The Portuguese was in the Allianz Arena crowd as Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig produced a 0-0 stalemate in their top-of-the-table Bundesliga clash.
Upamecano is set to face Spurs in the Champions League next weekCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Mourinho was an interested spectator as he used Spurs’ winter break to scout out their Champions League round of 16 opponents RB Leipzig.
And while preparation for next week’s first leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was the primary reason for the 57-year-old’s attendance, he may have also been watching Upamecano with particular interest.
The Lilywhites could find themselves in the market for a defender in the summer, with popular stalwart Jan Vertonghen’s contract set to expire.
And with Mourinho having seemingly frozen out fellow centre-back Juan Foyth, a move for another centre-back wouldn’t come from out of the blue.
Upamecano has long been linked with a move to their North London rivals Arsenal.
And with the Frenchman having just 18 months left on his contract, interested clubs could prise him away from Leipzig by matching the new £50million release clause that will become active in the summer.
Under Mourinho’s watchful eye, Upamecano gave a slightly shaky performance against the reigning Bundesliga champions.
While Leipzig did manage to keep a clean sheet, their star centre-back was extremely fortunate not to be penalised for a blatant trip on Robert Lewandowski in the penalty area.
The young defender has come up against some of the world’s best in the BundesligaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Jose Mourinho ran the rule over Spurs’ Round of 16 opponentsCredit: Bundesliga TV
A VAR review spared Upamecano’s blushes, with the technology deeming there to have been an offside in the build-up to his foul on the Pole.
He has generally been very good this season, appearing 24 times as his side fight for both Bundesliga and Champions League glory.
It’s set to be a busy summer for Spurs, with the Lilywhites also having been linked with moves for other defenders including Bournemouth’s Nathan Ake.
RB Leipzig’s Dayot Upamecano shows off his moves as he joins the team in training
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
