One of Tottenham Hotspur's January targets has reportedly been made available for transfer this summer and given the departure of Jan Vertonghen, it could well be wise to revisit his credentials...

What's the word?

According to Sky Sports, West Ham are prepared to offload central defender Issa Diop for £45m with two Premier League teams interested in his signature.

The 23-year-old is one of the low earners at the London Stadium and could welcome a move elsewhere.

Kavel Solhekol reported back in December that Spurs were keen on the Irons colossus and saw him as a potential replacement for Vertonghen or Toby Alderweireld - though, the Hammers valued him at £50m back then.

Defensive reinforcements

It is no secret that Spurs are probably in need of a new centre-back following the Belgian's exit. Jose Mourinho's backline leaked a total of 47 goals this season, the second-most of any top seven side in the PL.

But is Diop worth it at £45m?

The 23-year-old is quite the imposing figure, standing at 6 foot 4 inches, and has enjoyed a pretty decent season for the Irons aside from battling relegation.

Per WhoScored, he averaged a whopping 5.1 clearances, 1.5 interceptions and 0.8 tackles per game and also won 2.5 aerial duels per match too.

Those in north London should know the Frenchman pretty well after he put in a masterclass display against Spurs towards the end of the 2018/19 season.

Diop contributed towards a clean sheet against an attack led by Heung-min Son and Lucas Moura, who both failed to get a sniff at the goal. No Irons player recorded a higher rating (8.0) via SofaScore.

The powerhouse notched eight clearances, six interceptions, two tackles and won 80% of his duels, leaving Son with a paltry 6.5 rating and less than 30% duels won.

Mourinho has also previously been a fan of the Frenchman, calling him a "monster" who "dominated every duel" whilst FourFourTwo magazine described Diop as "a tremendous athlete, excellent in the air and quick across the ground."

Diop and Spurs could be a match made in heaven, so Levy shouldn't baulk at their £45m asking price this summer.

AND in other news, Spurs target £15m upgrade in La Liga star who crosses more than Messi...