Tottenham Hotspur are stepping up interest in Barcelona forward Sandro Ramirez.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino watched the 20-year-old a couple of times last season and is looking at making a move in January.

Barcelona are willing to sell as Sandro is seen as back-up to their first-team squad and his sale can offset expected further spending once their transfer ban is lifted in January. However, they also want to insert a buy-back option.

Sandro Ramirez featured in a pre-season game for Barcelona against Roma in August but the forward has only made two starts since stepping up to the first team at the start of last season

Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino (left) has targeted the £10million rated Sandro to help ease the burden on striker Harry Kane and could swoop in January

SANDRO RAMIREZ AT BARCELONA La Liga: 12 app (11 as sub), 2 gls Champions League: 8 app (7 as sub) 2 gls From 2014-15 season to present Advertisement

Barcelona value Sandro as a better prospect than Adama Traore who joined Aston Villa in a deal that could rise to £8.5m so will be looking for a fee close to £10m.

Tottenham want forward players who can interchange with the central and wide positions and Sandro fits the profile but will be wary of paying over the odds for a player who is still a work in progress.

Newcastle are also among clubs to have been credited with an interest but London would be more appealing to the Spain Under 21 international.

Tottenham have also been monitoring Gent's Laurent Depoitre and Moses Simon in an attempt to bolster their attacking ranks.

Belgium's Laurent Depoitre scores his team's fourth goal against Andorra in a Euro 2016 qualifier on Saturday

Anthony van den Borre of Anderlecht challenges Moses Simon of Gent during a Belgian top flight game

Having sold Roberto Soldado and eventually released Emmanuel Adebayor, Spurs started the season with just one recognised striker in Harry Kane.

But the north London outfit did move late in the transfer window to land forwards Clinton N'Jie from Lyon and Son Heung-min from Bayer Leverkusen.