Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly slapped a €30m (£26m) price tag on the head of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg amid links with Juventus.
The Denmark international hitherto formed an effective partnership with Rodrigo Bentancur in the heart of the Tottenham midfield, but he has slipped down the pecking order since Antonio Conte's departure.
Since Ange Postecoglou took the reins, Tottenham have moved forward with a three-man engine room of Pape Sarr, Yves Bissouma and James Maddison, all of whom have excelled in the early weeks of the campaign.
As a result, Hojbjerg is yet to start a Premier League game this season and has only made the first XI on one occasion, playing the full 90 in an EFL Cup second-round loss to Fulham.
The 28-year-old has come off the bench for Spurs' last six Premier League matches, but he has played just 78 top-flight minutes in total and is being heavily linked with an exit at some point in 2024.
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Fulham and Galatasaray reportedly showed an interest in signing the midfielder during the last knockings of the summer transfer window, but Tottenham blocked late approaches, and Hojbjerg has vowed to fight for his place in the Spurs lineup.
However, the former Bayern Munich and Southampton man is due to become a free agent in 2025, and Juventus are apparently keeping a close eye on his situation in North London.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Tottenham are not opposed to letting Hojbjerg leave, but the Lilywhites are after a modest €30m (£26m) to sanction a sale, and they are not interested in discussing any loan moves.
Hojbjerg's salary is not expected to be an issue for Juventus, and with Euro 2024 on the horizon, the 28-year-old will jump at the chance to play regularly in Serie A amid uncertainty over Paul Pogba's career.
The Frenchman has been provisionally suspended after failing a doping test earlier this season, having shown abnormally high levels of testosterone, but he requested a counter-analysis - the results of which are due to be revealed on Thursday.
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However, should Pogba be found guilty of doping offences, the former Manchester United lynchpin could be handed a four-year ban, thus bringing a swift end to his disastrous second spell in Turin.
Juventus have already touched base with Hojbjerg's agents and are expected to ramp up their interest if Pogba is banned for a lengthy period of time, which would likely lead to a contract termination.
Atletico Madrid also remain attentive to the situation, though, and Tottenham may be reluctant to let Hojbjerg leave in January, as Sarr and Bissouma are due to represent Senegal and Mali respectively in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Spurs paid €16.6m (£14.4m) to poach Hojbjerg from Southampton in 2020, and the midfielder has contributed 10 goals and 16 assists in 152 matches for the Lilywhites across all competitions in that time.
The Scandinavian was an injury-time substitute in Saturday's 2-1 win over Liverpool and is expected to be named on the bench when Postecoglou's side take on Luton Town on Saturday lunchtime, where a win would send Tottenham to the top of the table.
Ben Knapton
