Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly identified a potential midfield target ahead of the summer transfer window, amid reports that the Lilywhites are interested in Marseille maestro, Matteo Guendouzi.

What's the latest on Guendouzi to Spurs?

That's according to journalist Mohamed Toubache, with the transfer insider revealing that the former Arsenal man is admired by the Spurs hierarchy, following his standout form in Ligue 1.

Writing on Twitter, Toubache claimed that both Newcastle United and Aston Villa also hold an interest in the 24-year-old, with the Frenchman's current side set to demand a fee of around €32m (£28m).

The 6 foot 1 ace has spent the last two seasons at the Stade Velodrome, joining on a permanent deal last summer on a £9m deal following an initial loan move.

How would Guendouzi fit in at Spurs?

With Rodrigo Bentancur having been plagued by injury this season, the north London outfit have largely relied on the midfield pairing of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Oliver Skipp of late, albeit with mixed results.

As talkSPORT pundit Perry Groves recently stated, that duo are "like a double appendix" as they "don't do anything", with Skipp, in particular, having rather underwhelmed with just one goal and no assists in 29 games across all fronts this term.

The signing of Guendouzi could well represent something of an upgrade on the young Englishman for chairman Daniel Levy, as the Marseille ace has contributed ten goal involvements this season in 41 outings, after previously registering five goals and 14 assists in 56 games in the previous campaign.

The one-time Hertha Berlin loanee's superior creative quality is showcased by the fact that he has created five big chances in Ligue 1 this season and averaged 0.6 key passes per game, while Skipp, by contrast, has created zero big chances and only averaged 0.4 key passes per game.

Equally, Guendouzi - who has previously been hailed as a "warrior" by BBC pundit Alan Shearer - is also said to share a number of statistical and stylistic similarities with Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan, according to FBref, with that a further indication of his talent.

The likeness between the two midfielders - who can both operate in a defensive berth or a more advanced role - is showcased by their forward-thinking approach, as Guendouzi averages 6.89 progressive passes and 2.26 progressive carries per 90 over the last 365 days, while Gundogan averages 6.71 and 2.12 for the same two metrics, respectively.

The pair also possess a real willingness to get forward as the City ace ranks in the top 4% among his European peers for touches in the attacking penalty area, while his counterpart ranks in the top 18% in that regard - a far superior record to that of the more pragmatic Skipp (bottom 16%).

To be likened to Gundogan is of particular interest due to the German's stellar recent form for Pep Guardiola's side after scoring four goals in his last two Premier League games, subsequently being hailed as "one of the best in the league" by legendary midfielder, Patrick Vieira.

For all the potential concern about snapping up a man with Arsenal connections in the form of Guendouzi, the highly-coveted star's similarity to Gundogan could suggest that he can be a real figurehead for Spurs if he was to return to England this summer.

Amid Levy's focus on finding a new permanent manager, securing a deal for the former Lorient ace could well be a real surprise masterstroke.