Tottenham Hotspur are ahead of the queue for Marseille left back Taye Taiwo and look set to snare the player despite competition from a host of other clubs including Atletico Madrid and Premier League rivals Sunderland and Birmingham.
Spurs are believed to be the only club willing and capable of meeting the Ligue One champions’ valuation of the Nigerian international. Marseille are demanding at least £8.5 million for the defender of which the Champions League qualifiers are willing to offer around £6 million.
Taiwo starred for Marseille last season as the club stole from the back to claim the Ligue One title on a strong surge at the end of the season. The French champions’ boss Didier Deschamps is understood to rate the player highly and is unwilling to see him go, but with financial concerns an ever present for the club, any sensible offer for the defender will be considered in seriousness.
The 25-year-old experienced a disappointing campaign with the Super Eagles after which the whole team was suspended by the country’s president Goodluck Jonathan before the decision was reversed following FIFA’s threat to ban the country from future tournaments indefinitely. However, Taiwo still impressed on the left side of the Nigeria defence and was one of their very few standout players.
Atletico Madrid were keen enough to make a £4 million bid but that has been dismissed as too little by Marseille, who are also keen to cash in on the player as he has only a year left on his current contract, with both parties unable to come to an agreement over an extension. Sunderland and Birmingham are also interested but may not be able to match any big money bid from Spurs.
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