Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly negotiated a deal with Chelsea for youngster Jude Soonsup-Bell.
Spurs have been on the look out for fresh faces throughout the January transfer window, already bringing in playmaker Arnaut Danjuma on loan from Villarreal.
However, their main pursuit has been for Sporting Lisbon's Pedro Porro, with the two clubs allegedly struggling to find a compromise over a fee.
Should that deal eventually go through, it would allegedly meet Antonio Conte's priorities for the turn of the year as he bids to keep Spurs in contention for silverware and Champions League qualification for next season.
Nevertheless, it appears that the North London outfit have moved to pull off one of the more surprising additions of the current window.
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According to The Athletic, Spurs have made contact with Chelsea with regards to the signing of Soonsup-Bell.
The 19-year-old has been one of the Blues' most highly-rated prospects in their academy setup for a number of years, initially netting 17 times in 18 games at Under-18 Premier League level.
Soonsup-Bell was subsequently rewarded with a senior debut in an EFL Cup quarter-final with Brentford in December 2021, playing 45 minutes in a 2-0 victory.
The expected progress has not continued, however, with only five strikes and two assists coming in 35 outings with the Under-21s in Premier League 2.
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Although it once seemed likely that a contract renewal would materialise, Soonsup-Bell feels that he has more chance of first-team football elsewhere.
As a result, the report claims that the England Under-18 international will undergo a medical at Spurs on Monday ahead of moving across the capital on a free transfer.
Despite allowing Soonsup-Bell to leave for nothing, Chelsea officials are said to have insisted on a 'significant sell-on fee' being included in the deal.
Soonsup-Bell is expected to begin life at his new club in the Under-21s, rather than providing any kind of backup to the likes of Harry Kane.
Darren Plant
