Tottenham signing blocked as club chief speaks out after Ange Postecoglou transfer pledge

Tottenham have been working on the signing of Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba for Ange Postecoglou.

Tottenham have been in talks to sign Edmond Tapsoba from Bayer Leverkusen (Image: Getty)
Tottenham have been told they can forget about signing Edmond Tapsoba this summer by Bayer Leverkusen chief Simon Rolfes, who has declared the Burkina Faso centre-back is not available “under normal circumstances.” Spurs have been locked in talks with the Bundesliga club over a swoop for the 24-year-old in the past few weeks but now they could be forced to explore other targets with Leverkusen now striving to keep the player following the £52million sale of winger Moussa Diaby to Aston Villa.

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Rolfes said with conviction when asked if Tapsoba was available on the market: “No, not under normal circumstances! It is clear that at some point there are always limits. But Edmond is a very important player.

“He is one of the top players of our team, without question. He still has a long contract. Therefore, there is no reason for us to think about handing him over.”

Tottenham remain interested in Wolfsburg centre-back Micky van de Ven even if negotiations with the German club appear to have gone quiet of late.

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There is also interest in Fulham’s Tosin Adarabioyo who was recently excluded from Fulham’s match-day squad for their pre-season friendly victory over Brentford in Philadelphia as he edges closer to the exit door.]

Simon Rolfes expects Bayer Leverkusen to keep Tottenham target Edmond Tapsoba (Image: Getty)
Fulham are keen to sell the 25-year-old Englishman this summer as he only has one year remaining on his current contract at Craven Cottage.

He is firmly admired by both Spurs, Monaco and other European clubs and could represent a cost-effective solution as Leverkusen desperately cling onto Tapsoba.

Speaking to Express Sport during an exclusive interview last summer, Rolfes confessed he was unsurprised by the severity of interest from English clubs in Leverkusen’s defensive stalwart, who he believes is a top player.

“I can imagine that there are many stories about him in England. There have been no talks [in 2022] and we want to keep him as he’s a fantastic player,” he said proudly.

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“Edmond has one incredible quality that is his buildup play. It’s perfect for our playing style. He has a long contract so there is no need for us to speak about him.”

Meanwhile, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou outlined his transfer plans at centre-back on Tuesday, stating: “We’re looking to bring in at least one.”

Spurs are also set to sell Davinson Sanchez after accepting a bid from Russian side Spartak Moscow. Other central defenders could yet be moved on including Joe Rodon.

Tottenham conceded 63 Premier League goals last season and only five top-flight sides shipped more during the 2022/23 campaign.

When asked whether he was frustrated by the delays to Spurs’ transfer business – Postecoglou added: “No frustration — it’s just the football world. I’ve been around long enough to know how it works.

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“I wish it could be like my wife and Amazon where we get a delivery every day, but no frustration.”