'I'm hearing' - Sky journalist makes live TV claim after Spurs offered 'almost unplayable' star

Speaking live on Sky Sports (via Football Daily), reporter Gary Cotterill has shared a deadline day transfer update involving Tottenham Hotspur-linked Ousmane Dembele.

Reports over the past 24 hours have linked Spurs with a possible late swoop for the Barcelona forward who as it stands is set to leave Catalonia on a free deal at the end of 2021/22.

Reliable correspondent Alasdair Gold claims that the Frenchman had in fact been ‘offered’ out to the Lilywhites and refused to rule out Spurs changing their minds on signing him late in the window (football.london).

Sharing an update on the links with Spurs, Cotterill has made a claim involving London rivals Chelsea.

According to his sources, it is believed that the west Londoners are now favourites to sign the 24-year-old as things stand, dealing a potential blow to Tottenham’s transfer hopes as the 11pm deadline nears.

“We’ve seen him also linked this window with Premier League clubs, including Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea,” Cotterill explained (via Football Daily).

“What I’m hearing from the Barcelona end is that Chelsea are now front of the queue to sign Dembele in this window.

“I’m told that Chelsea have again been offered the chance to sign Dembele.”

News of their capital rivals being favourites for Dembele could come as another bitter blow for any Spurs supporters who were eager to see him in north London. However, a few plus points to this development could be that the France international’s sky-high wages and questionable injury record make this news a blessing in disguise for the Lilywhites.

Even though Antonio Conte will be eager to add more players to his ranks in these final hours of the window, it is far better to sign nobody than the wrong