Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly made little progress in their efforts to sign Wolfsburg defender Micky van de Ven.
Soon after the arrival of Ange Postecoglou as the club's new head coach, it became apparent that the Greek-Australian was keen to strengthen the club's backline.
That is a consequence of 63 goals being conceded in 38 Premier League fixtures during 2022-23, a record which ultimately cost Spurs a place in Europe.
The North Londoners are said to be closing in on a deal for Blackburn Rovers youngster Adam Phillips, yet Postecoglou requires additions that can make an immediate impact.
While there has been fleeting interest in several other centre-backs, Spurs have been most strongly linked with young Dutchman Van de Ven.
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Prior to representing Netherlands Under-21s at the recent European Championship, Van de Ven had enjoyed the best season of his career with Wolfsburg, making 33 appearances in the Bundesliga.
Those numbers represented his biggest involvement in a single campaign during his senior career, while he helped Wolfsburg earn an eighth-placed finish in the Bundesliga.
Nevertheless, according to The Athletic, Spurs have, so far, failed to tempt their German counterparts into cashing in on one of their star men ahead of the new campaign.
The report suggests that negotiations have reached somewhat of an impasse with Wolfsburg not prepared to part ways with Van de Ven for less than £30m.
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Their cause is helped by the 22-year-old having recently penned a new contract until the end of the 2026-27 campaign, leaving them in no rush to generate a transfer fee.
Spurs may theoretically boost their chances of meeting Wolfsburg's valuation if they can successfully finalise the departure of Davinson Sanchez.
However, despite agreeing a fee in excess of £12m with Spartak Moscow, the Colombia international is currently against making the switch to the Russian giants.
Four goals have been conceded during Spurs' opening two pre-season fixtures, with a 3-2 defeat to West Ham United followed by a 5-1 triumph over Singaporean outfit Lion City Sailors on Wednesday.
Darren Plant
