Tottenham want to sign Jack Grealish from cash-strapped Aston Villa.

Spurs are keen to test Villa's resolve to keep the talented midfielder with a bid before the August 9 transfer deadline, although talks are yet to take place between the clubs.

Villa need to make at least £40million due to the financial problems of owner Tony Xia and Spurs hope the crisis-club will agree to sell the England Under-21 international for a cut-price fee of £15-20million.

Villa are thought to be holding out for at least £30m, however, after Grealish helped them to the Championship play-off final with a string of fine performances.

Grealish, 22, is currently on a pre-season training camp with Villa in Portugal but he is said to be aware of Spurs' interest and keen to make the switch.

Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino has urged the club to do early business this summer but they are yet to make a signing, and will have under a month to restructure the squad once the World Cup finishes.

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The club still has nine players involved in the competition in Russia - five in the England squad, three Belgians and France's Hugo Lloris - which is second only to Man City, who have 11.

Spurs travel to LA for a pre-season tour of the US on 22 July, returning on August 1, and begin the season at Newcastle ten days later, leaving Pochettino with a difficult task to prepare his World Cup stars for the new campaign.