Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly one of three clubs eyeing a deal for Feyenoord's Igor Paixao, who recently gave Kyle Walker a troublesome time in the Champions League.
The Dutch giants faced Walker's AC Milan in the first leg of their playoff battle, where Paixao scored the only goal of the game as Feyenoord prevailed 1-0 over the Rossoneri.
From the left-hand side, the 24-year-old completed three dribbles, got three shots away, drew two fouls and created two chances for his teammates, thus seeing his stock rise even further.
Paixao now has eight goals and 14 assists under his belt from 32 matches across all competitions in the current campaign, also bagging six goals and setting up 10 more in 21 Eredivisie appearances.
The former Coritiba starlet has now been identified by three Premier League clubs as a potential transfer target, according to The Sun, who claim that Tottenham, Newcastle United and Bournemouth are all interested.
Tottenham told to pay £25m for Paixao?
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Feyenoord are under no pressure whatsoever to sanction the attacker's sale, as he is under contract for another four-and-a-half years, having agreed an extension until 2029 as recently as November.
However, the report adds that a fee of £25m would be enough for the Rotterdam outfit to consider parting ways with Paixao, as such a fee would still see them record a significant transfer profit.
The 24-year-old arrived from Coritiba for just £3.8m during the summer of 2022, and he has since amassed 29 goals and 24 assists in 114 appearances, winning the Eredivisie, KNVB-Beker and Dutch Super Cup.
Paixao - who is right-footed - has predominantly featured on the left-hand side this season, but he can also be deployed on the right wing and in a false nine role.
There may be some concerns about the winger's ability to adapt to the physical nature of the Premier League, though, as he would be one of Tottenham's shorter players at just 5ft 6in tall.
Could Paixao fill Son's boots at Tottenham?
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Should Tottenham decide to take a punt on Paixao despite his small frame, the 24-year-old could very well arrive in North London to fill the void left by Son Heung-min's possible exit.
The Spurs captain recently had his contract extension triggered, meaning that he is now tied down to the Lilywhites until 2026, but what the future holds for him beyond next summer is unclear.
Ange Postecoglou stressed that the main reason for Son's extension was to boost his chances of leaving with a trophy to his name, but if that does not happen within the next 18 months, another extension will be needed to fulfil that wish.
However, Son will be about to celebrate his 34th birthday by the time his current deal expires, and it would not be a surprise to see the South Korean receive lucrative Saudi or MLS offers as he enters the twilight of his career.
Spurs of course have the phenom that is Mikey Moore coming through the ranks, but while his development is still being carefully managed, Paixao could be a viable option after passing the Walker test.
Ben Knapton
