Tottenham join race for two Manchester United targets but baulk at £100m price tags

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Tottenham Hotspur are keen on Brighton’s Carlos Baleba and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton but are aware that both would likely come with hefty £100m price tags. The two midfielders are also known targets of Manchester United who are understood to be planning a midfield rebuild.

Baleba in particular is valued at £100m by Brighton, while Wharton’s fee has not been reported. Given the player’s similar age and potential, his value is likely in the same ballpark. TeamTalk has reported that while Tottenham have concrete interest in both players, the club would be looking to negotiate lower terms.

Much has been made of Baleba’s recent form, with the midfielder’s performances dipping compared to last season. The Cameroon international’s head was turned last summer when United made contact.

Ultimately United were reluctant to meet Brighton’s terms which left the player frustrated. It seems Tottenham could now swoop for the player but are hoping his evaluation lowers.

Wharton has suffered injury problems for the past two seasons but is a mainstay in the Palace side when fit. He anchored the midfield during Palace’s FA Cup and Community Shield triumphs and will be firmly in England boss Thomas Tuchel’s thinking for this summer’s World Cup.

It is unlikely that either player will be available in January, but both are tipped for big moves in the near future.

Spurs are planning a midfield rebuild of their own and are targeting Premier League experience. The club are also keeping tabs on Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Brentford’s Yehor Yarmolyuk.

Tottenham is reportedly planning to invest heavily over the next two windows. Any moves for a new midfielder however is likely to hinge on the departure of Yves Bissouma who has fallen out of favour under new manager Thomas Frank.

Bissouma has had to appear in the Premier League this season for Spurs and was notably excluded from the squad that played in the UEFA Super Cup final due to disciplinary reasons. The player has been linked with a move to Turkish side Galatasaray and could be allowed to leave in January.

Nadji is a football writer with over 10 years of experience covering the Premier League. His work has been featured on Football Fancast, Arsenal-Mania, and Arsenal.com, where he has built a reputation for delivering sharp analysis, engaging storytelling, and in-depth coverage of the game.