Sign up to FREE email alerts from Football London - Spurs Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Tottenham have been linked to Real Betis midfielder Giovani Lo Celso in recent weeks, and reports emerging on Tuesday suggest that Mauricio Pochettino has acted on his interest in the midfielder.

The BBC are reporting that Spurs have made a bid of £53million for the Real Betis man.

If the bid is accepted, it would smash Tottenham's transfer record of the £42million they spent on Davinson Sanchez in August 2017. It is thought however, that Lo Celso's club are looking for a fee closer to the player's release clause of £88million, meaning that Spurs may have to up their offer if they want to sign the midfielder.

But who is Lo Celso, and what would he bring to Mauricio Pochettino's side?

Lo Celso is an Argentinian international central midfielder who has this season played his football for Spanish La Liga side Real Betis. He was on loan from Paris Saint-Germain although Betis moved to make the 23-year-old a permanent signing just last month, paying €22million to PSG. However, the club's failure to qualify for Europe next season means that they may be forced to sell their most prized assets., including Lo Celso.

The midfielder has impressed this season making 46 appearances in all competitions, scoring 16 goals and creating another five. He is adept at facing up to and taking on defenders with the ball, thus driving his team forward into attacking areas. Lo Celso also brings energy to Betis' midfield that helped a side that relied on pressure and intensity this season. With an average of 1.6 key passes per game in the Europa League this season, creating chances for teammates is also one of Lo Celso's strengths.

The Argentinian had a breakthrough season at PSG during 2017/18, making 48 appearances for the French giants before spending the 2018/19 season in La Liga where he has again proved his worth.

Tottenham do however have competition for the player, with Barcelona Atletico Madrid and Everton also reported to be interested.

He has been included in the Argentina squad for the Copa America during the summer, where he will look to impress potential suitors, including the Lilywhites, on one of the biggest stages. The competition will also give Spurs fans the chance to watch a player who could potentially be playing his football at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next season.

Keep up to date with the latest Tottenham Hotspur news, features and exclusives from football.london via our free WhatsApp service .

Click here to enroll or text NEWS to 07776197989 and then add the number to your phone contacts book as spurs dot london (case sensitive, with spaces) to receive daily updates and breaking news from Alasdair Gold and the team on Spurs.

Your phone number won't be shared with any other members of the group. Click here for more information on the service.