Spurs chasing £7m international attacking midfielder


Tottenham have been watching 23-year-old (24 next February) Turkish international Yunus Malli report German paper Bild, although they are simply reporting what Italians website TMW (Transfermarketweb) are reporting. 

The attacking midfielder was born in Germany and has played through the ranks of German youth football until the Under-21 stage before choosing to play for Turkey in October, since when he has won 2 caps.

Malli has started 11 games for Mainz in the Bundesliga as an attacking central midfielder scoring 6 goals and 2 games as a centre-forward scoring 1 goal. That is just the sort of versatility Mauricio Pochettino is looking for in players. He has excellent dribbling skills, is clearly a good finisher and has an eye for a through ball, vital in a central attacking midfielder. Malli isn't the complete article as he is weak in the air and his passing could do with some work.

The Turkish press call him the new Mezut Ozil, another Turk born in Germany, but who chose to play for his birth country. Transfermarketweb suggest that Tottenham are possibly preparing a winter bid for Malli. They report that Bayern Munich has been watching him and that he could be available for £7.01-million (US$10.65 - AUS$14.71 - €10m) while he has a contract until 2018.

Malli is of the right age, is of the right price, has improvement in him and has the potential to increase in value. He ticks the major boxes for us and Mainz are a club who see themselves as developing a player and selling them on profitably, manager Christian Heidel said recently. They are under no financial pressure to sell so despite suggestions Spurs may make a winter move, a bid in the summer is far more likely. 

Mainz have also sold 29-year-old Shinji Okazaki to Leicester City and the sale of Malli would leave them short mid-season. He has taken his opportunity to develop which augurs well for future development and suggests the type of mentality we are looking for.

Further Tottenham articles from THBN
Spurs £9.09m offer turned down
Tottenham keep tabs on versatile Italian
US investor interest just the tip of the iceberg for Tottenham
The Dele Alli affect

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