Tottenham Hotspur are tracking Ismaila Soro ahead of the summer transfer window, according to reports this week...

What's the word?

The Daily Mail claim that Spurs are seeking reinforcements ahead of next season but will have to do so under a restricted budget, so the Celtic powerhouse could be an appealing target.

Soro cost the Hoops around £2.7m from Israeli outfit Bnei Yehuda in January, though he had found game time hard to come by under Neil Lennon, who was sacked back in February.

The next Kante?

The 22-year-old midfielder has been impressive when given the chance, despite only making 21 appearances at Parkhead since his arrival.

Soro's former coach, Ori Guttman, believes the 5 foot 8 dynamo can become a future star and has made a stark comparison to N'Golo Kante due to their similar playing styles.

Speaking to The Scottish Sun, he said: "When I saw Soro I was immediately excited. From the first second I noticed his explosive power," revealed Yehuda's no.2.

"Soro was like a star in the sky which exploded and it was only a matter of time before he’d move and how much the club would earn from him.

"Now he reminds me of N’Golo Kante at Chelsea. Kante maybe doesn’t look like he’s strong, but he is. He wins most duels and tackles. Soro does the same and wins the battles too. Both are good at dribbling with the ball. Neither of them score a lot of goals. They need creative guys alongside them in midfield. So they are alike in that way."

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That's hardly a surprise as Soro himself claims he has modelled his game on the diminutive Chelsea star. "They will see the same type of player as Kante," the Ivorian explained to supporters. "To me, he is the model. He’s a player who never lets go, he has that never say die attitude I love."

His lofty personal endorsement has somewhat rung true in the SPFL this term, as he's averaged three tackles and 2.1 interceptions per 90 minutes, which ranks him amongst Celtic's most industrious options, via WhoScored.

Soro also has similar capabilities on the ball, managing 1.3 successful dribbles per 90, too.

All in all, he could become an intriguing option alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in Spurs' engine room, whoever becomes Jose Mourinho's successor ahead of next season.

Even though there is a vast difference between the Scottish top-flight and the Premier League, the Bhoys monster stacks up well compared to Hojbjerg's current midfield partners.

He's averaging more tackles than all of them, Hojbjerg (2.7) included. And is clear for interceptions, too. Whilst for ability on the ball, he's ahead of the likes of Moussa Sissoko (one), Harry Winks (0.1) and Giovani Lo Celso (0.7), as per WhoScored.

Meanwhile, the likes of Virgil van Dijk, John McGinn and Spurs' own Victor Wanyama are proven examples that the SPFL can be a happy hunting ground for Premier League teams looking to bolster their squad on a shoestring budget.

On that basis, just imagine Soro and Hojbjerg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next season - Levy must sanction a swoop for what could be the next Kante.

AND in other news, Levy hiring "genius" boss could spell the end for "lazy" Spurs star...