Tottenham Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Sadio Mane and Demarai Gray

Liverpool winger Sadio Mane has revealed how he might have instead signed for Tottenham Hotspur last summer had the north London club not been put off by his wage demands. Mane recounted how he visited Tottenham before eventually agreeing a move to Anfield from Southampton, according to Matt Hughes of the Sunday Times.

Hughes detailed how Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino tried to talk the Tottenham board into sanctioning a deal for Mane, but to no avail: "Tottenham Hotspur came so close to signing Sadio Mané last summer that the Senegal forward visited the club’s training ground to discuss a transfer from Southampton. Mauricio Pochettino was unable to convince the club to meet his wage demands so he signed for Liverpool, who entertain Tottenham tonight."

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The report also referenced Tottenham's meeting with Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League on Saturday. Ironically, it was a game won 2-0 by Liverpool, and one dominated by Mane, who scored twice to help the Reds power past Pochettino's men and put a serious dent in Tottenham's title challenge.

Spurs are now 10 points behind leaders Chelsea in England's top flight, and must wonder what might have been had they actually managed to sign Mane last summer. The Senegalese winger has proved a decisive figure in Liverpool's attack more than once this season.

In fact, the former Saints forward has proved his worth as both a goal-getter and a keen creator of chances. These numbers from OptaJoe reveal Mane's value in the final third:

Signing Mane would have given Spurs a more direct weapon capable of providing the greater cutting edge Pochettino's team has been missing in attacking areas. Finding ample support for prolific centre-forward Harry Kane is an ongoing problem for the Tottenham boss.

Attacking midfielder Dele Alli does his best and has scored 11 times in England's top flight this season, per WhoScored.com. The problem is there's little outside of Alli to ease the scoring burden on Kane.

Heung-Min Son can chip in with goals and assists, but the South Korean is sometimes too mercurial to deliver on a consistent basis. It doesn't help when Spurs get little from playmaker Christian Eriksen and winger Erik Lamela, who has been missed while nursing a hip injury.

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Mane would have been a more potent force in support of Kane, thanks to his perceptive movement, awesome pace and keenness as a finisher.

Spurs Challenge Liverpool for Leicester City Winger

Tottenham couldn't sign Mane, but the club is already making moves to win the race for another gifted winger. The player in question is Leicester City's Demarai Gray, who is also said to be wanted by Liverpool.

He is on a list of players Pochettino wants to add for next season, according to Tom Collomosse of the London Evening Standard: "Spurs are following closely the brightest young English-born attacking talent, and already have Wilfried Zaha, the Crystal Palace attacker, and Ross Barkley, the Everton midfielder, on their list."

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Collomosse identified the main attribute Pochettino wants to boost his squad: "Pochettino wants to add pace to his forward line and believes these players, along with Gray, would do the job well."

Pace is something 20-year-old Gray can add to any attack. He's a tricky winger who can stretch a defence and get behind his markers in an instant.

Gray proved those qualities during Leicester's 2-0 defeat to Swansea City at Liberty Stadium on Sunday, per Dafydd Pritchard of BBC Wales Sport. Squawka Football detailed how Gray caught the eye even in a losing cause:

Leicester's loss to Swansea could prove significant for any interested suitor's chances of signing the youngster. The result has left Leicester just one place and a single point above the relegation zone.

As Collomosse pointed out, Leicester's Premier League survival will be a key factor in determining whether or not the Foxes will sell Gray: "He is now on their radar again, along with that of Liverpool, and others are likely to join the race – especially if Leicester are relegated from the top flight."

Leicester being relegated would be a shock when immediately following last season's remarkable title triumph. However, the Foxes are struggling enough to slip to a fate no other team has suffered in nearly eight decades, according to BBC Match of the Day:

Gray is gifted enough to help Leicester get out of trouble, but Pochettino is sure to keep a close eye on a player Spurs have followed since Gray featured for Birmingham City, per Collomosse.

Tottenham missed an excellent chance to add the necessary pace and cutting edge their Kane-led forward line needs when the club passed on Mane. Gray is not in the same bracket as the Liverpool man, but he has the potential to be one day soon, so Spurs shouldn't make the same mistake twice.