Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona have both seen bids rejected by Ajax for 21-year-old midfielder Frankie de Jong, according to Mundo Deportivo.

What's the word?

Mauricio Pochettino ended the summer transfer window without a single new recruit, setting a record in the modern market as a result, but it seems the lack of transfers for Tottenham was not down to a lack of trying.

Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo claims that Spurs saw a whopping £45m bid rejected by Ajax for the services of talented midfielder Frankie de Jong, while La Liga champions Barcelona also failed with an approach of their own.

Versatile and capable of playing in a defensive position or further forward, De Jong is tipped as a star for the future and made his international debut for the Netherlands in Thursday's friendly win over Peru and earned an assist for Memphis Depay's opening goal.

Should Spurs continue the chase?

With Ajax standing firm, the required fee to land the 5ft 11in De Jong is likely to be astronomical but he is the sort of signing that would see Tottenham send a statement of intent to the rest of the Premier League - particularly if a deal is completed after the move to the rejuvenated White Hart Lane.

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Such a deal would show that Spurs still have the financial might to compete in the market despite the vast amounts spent on their new stadium and would suggest that the Lilywhites can avoid the struggles endured by North London rivals Arsenal after their stadium switch a decade ago.

With his versatility, De Jong could be the ideal replacement for Mousa Dembele and Mauricio Pochettino boasts a strong record of pinching players from Ajax - having signed Davinson Sanchez, Christian Eriksen and Jan Vertonghen from the Dutch side.

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