DE JONG IN LINE TO FILL ERIKSEN’S BOOTS

TOTTENHAM have entered the race to sign Ajax’s brilliant young midfielder Frenkie de Jong – as Real Madrid prepare to launch a £100million bid for Christian Eriksen.

De Jong, 21, will be sold to the highest bidder at the end of the season – and Paris Saint-Germain are in pole position after telling Ajax they will pay £67m. But Real have made Eriksen, 26, a top summer target as they look to revamp an ageing Bernabeu squad. And Spurs have responded by contacting De Jong’s agent Ali Dursun and giving him guarantees that they will match the current highest bid. The Londoners know they will have to spend bigger than ever before to replace Eriksen – with a move to their new £1billion stadium looming and manager Mauricio Pochettino wanted by Manchester United.

Their current transfer record is the £42m they paid Ajax for Davinson Sanchez in 2017 – but they would bank £100m-plus from the sale of Eriksen.

De Jong looked destined for Manchester City late last year only for the Premier League champions to request that the deal was put on ice. He was devastated to miss out on a chance to be with Pep Guardiola at City but he was impressed when PSG put their money on the table with an offer that included a contract worth £100,000 a week AFTER tax.

He currently earns less than £10,000 a week in Holland.

Barcelona and Juventus are also big admirers of the Dutch international but Barca are currently unwilling to match the financial offer being made by PSG.

And De Jong ruled out Juve immediately because he believes a move to England, Spain or France will suit him best.