Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly cooled their interest in Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba, with the German club demanding £50m for the player.
The 24-year-old featured in all but one of Leverkusen's 34 Bundesliga matches last term - starting 32 of those - scoring the single goal as Xabi Alonso's men finished sixth.
Tapsoba has made 139 appearances for the BayArena club since switching from Primeira Liga outfit Vitoria de Guimaraes in January 2020, making the net ripple on six occasions from a centre-back role.
The right-footed defender is also a regular for his nation, having earned 20 caps for Burkina Faso since making his debut in the summer of 2017.
According to Football Insider, Tottenham are now less interested in a move for Tapsoba this summer, with Leverkusen's asking price proving to be a major obstacle in a potential deal.
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The report claims that Alonso's men are hoping to pocket £50m from the sale of the centre-back, and they are currently unwilling to lower that price-tag.
With Tapsoba under contract at Leverkusen until the summer of 2026, the club are in a good position to demand a significant fee for the defender.
It is understood that Newcastle United are also admirers of the player, however Eddie Howe recently stated that the club would not be welcoming any more arrivals to St James' Park this summer.
Sven Botman and Fabian Schar are set to be the first-choice centre-back pairing for the Champions League-bound Magpies, although the signings of Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall will provide competition for Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn in the full-back positions.
As for Spurs, it is believed that Ange Postecoglou is prioritising another signing for the centre of his defence before the summer window slams shut on September 1.
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The Lilywhites have already secured the services of a defender from the Bundesliga this month, recruiting Micky van de Ven from Wolfsburg for around £30m.
It is claimed that Leverkusen are keen to keep hold of Tapsoba for the 2023-24 season, with the German club having lost a pair of first-team stars this summer.
Moussa Diaby departed the BayArena to join Unai Emery's Aston Villa in England, whilst Iranian striker Sardar Azmoun has made the move to Serie A giants Roma.
Tapsoba is expected to start alongside Jonathan Tah and Odilon Kossounou when Leverkusen travel to face Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday evening in the Bundesliga.
Carter White
