According to reports in the Daily Mail on January 18, runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City scouted Lille youngster Boubakary Soumare in his side's 2-1 defeat to Rennes on Wednesday night.
The 18-year-old has broken into the first team with the Ligue 1 outfit after joining them from Paris Saint-Germain during the summer, and his impressive performances have caught the eye of Citizens boss Pep Guardiola.
The Daily Mail says that the Spaniard is looking to strengthen his side's defensive midfield options, with a report from the same source earlier this month saying that Guardiola potentially sees the teenager as a long-term replacement for Yaya Toure, whose contract is due to expire this summer.
The report adds that Lille may have to cash in on the France U19 international as they are under pressure to sell to evade financial sanctions from the French football federation.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur are yet to sign anyone this month as they look to secure a top-four finish in the English top flight as well as advance past Juventus in the knockout stages of the Champions League, but Mauricio Pochettino will be keeping a close eye on the market.
If the Argentine does want to strengthen his squad before January 31, bringing Soumare to Wembley could prove to be a shrewd move.
Here are three reasons Tottenham must hijack Man City's bid to sign the 18-year-old…
Defensive midfield cover
Tottenham have been without both Victor Wanyama and Mousa Dembele at points this season through injury, with the likes of Eric Dier, Moussa Sissoko and Harry Winks filling in for the duo in the middle of the park.
It highlighted Spurs' lack of defensive midfield cover, and bringing a promising young player like Soumare in to fill the role in the second-half of the campaign and push for a spot in the first team would be a smart move.
His qualities
The 18-year-old is 6ft 2in tall, strong and it is no wonder that Pep Guardiola already sees the teenager as a potential long-term replacement for Yaya Toure.
According to WhoScored.com, the France U19 international's main strengths are his passing and his ability in the air, and he has an accuracy of 87% for the former in eight Ligue 1 appearances this season.
Meanwhile, he has won nine of the 11 aerial duels he has faced, while he has shown his quality on the ball by successfully completing eight of the nine dribbles he has attempted.
Price tag
The Daily Mail mentioned earlier this month that Lille may be forced to cash in on the 18-year-old before the January transfer window closes because of their financial difficulties, even though they only signed him during the summer.
That could mean that Tottenham will be able to pick up the highly-rated French starlet for a reasonable price before January 31, and that should interest the north London outfit as they love to sign a young player with huge potential for a low fee.
Do you agree, Spurs fans? Let us know below.