Tottenham Reportedly Consider Late January Move for AS Monaco's Youri Tielemans

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly ready to challenge Premier League rivals Manchester United and Leicester City for the signature of AS Monaco midfielder Youri Tielemans.

Spurs allowed veteran midfielder Mousa Dembele to leave the club for Chinese side Guangzhou R&F earlier in January, and the Telegraph's Matt Law reported the club is now considering Tielemans as a late option.

Monaco are said to be happy to sell the Belgium international if a club meets his £20 million valuation, the same price they paid Anderlecht for his signature in May 2017.

Leicester have been making headway in their negotiations, and Belgian journalist Kristof Terreur mentioned a key detail, in that the Foxes are able to offer Adrien Silva—who has been ineffective in England—as part of the deal:

Thierry Henry was fired as Monaco manager on Friday and replaced by his predecessor, Leonardo Jardim. L'Equipe (h/t Get French Football News) reported it was his return that has prompted the club's eagerness to offload their player.

ESPN FC's Jonathan Johnson commented on Jardim's apparent distaste for Tielemans but hailed the 21-year-old as a potential deal of great value:

That's the case for Tottenham as much as any other team challenging for the top spots in the Premier League. After choosing not to sign any players in the summer, manager Mauricio Pochettino has seen his resources exhausted of late.

Dele Alli recently joined Harry Kane in the Spurs treatment room and is expected to miss up to six weeks with a hamstring injury, per The Independent's Jack Pitt-Brooke.

Tielemans has scored five goals in 20 Ligue 1 appearances this season—second only to Radamel Falcao—and registered a single assist. He's also picked up nine yellow cards in 30 outings across all competitions.

Reporter Chris Winterburn commented on United's apparent interest in Tielemans:

A move to London could prove more tempting than the King Power Stadium for a player leaving the French Riviera, although Claude Puel is part of a promising project at Leicester, where he'd have a better chance to start.

Spurs may complete their first signing of the season as the last days of the winter transfer window draw to a close, and their supporters could be pleasantly surprised to see Tielemans arrive.