Ricardo Pereira is Spurs' preferred target to replace Kyle Walker at right-back

Porto are playing hardball over Tottenham target Ricardo Pereira, Sky Sports News HQ understands.

The Portugal right-back is Spurs' preferred choice to replace Kyle Walker, who joined Manchester City in a deal worth in excess of £50m this week.

Pereira has a release clause of £22m but Porto had previously indicated a willingness to negotiate a lower transfer fee for the 23-year-old because they needed to accrue funds.

Mauricio Pochettino is yet to make a signing for Tottenham so far this summer

The Primeira Liga runners-up have since sold Ruben Neves to Wolves for £15m and Andre Silva to Milan for £33.3m however, as well as others, which has strengthened their financial position.

A source involved with Pereira has told Sky Sports News HQ that Porto may accept an offer in the region of £16m, but another has said the club could hold out for the entire £22m release clause.

And Tottenham must decide if they are prepared to pay that much for a player who will initially act as second choice to Kieran Trippier.

Sky sources claim Spurs have also been interested in the Monaco right-back Djibril Sidibe but the Frenchman signed a new five-year contract on Friday - the same day Walker completed his move to City.

Tottenham have also been interested in Monaco right-back Djibril Sidibe

Sidibe was thought to be one of a number of Monaco players with agreements to be able to leave the club this summer but it is almost certain that agreement has been evaporated by his new deal and he would be expected to fetch an even bigger transfer fee than Pereira.

Tottenham do already have another young right-back to deputise for Trippier in the coincidentally named Kyle Walker-Peters, who is liked by boss Mauricio Pochettino and believed to be nearing first-team contention.

Sky sources understand the early summer plan was to loan Walker-Peters out for first-team experience but that decision has been delayed until Spurs' right-back dilemma has been solved.

Pereira has been tracked by a number of Spurs scouts during his two-year loan spell at French Ligue 1 side Nice. They have also scouted the likes of Mitchell Weiser, Jeremy Toljan and Benjamin Henrichs in Germany, and Davide Zappacosta in Italy.