Arsenal and Tottenham are reportedly tracking highly-rated Toulouse FC defender Issa Diop.

France Football have reported that both Arsenal and Tottenham are showing interest in highly-rated Toulouse FC defender Issa Diop. The report iterates that the North London duo sent scouts to watch the player as his side played out a 0-0 draw with Paris Saint-Germain over the weekend.

20-year-old Issa Diop is another one of the impressive players to come through from the Toulouse FC academy ranks. The current side is filled with talented youngsters, with the likes of Alban Lafont, Issa Diop, Kelvin Amian Adou and Clement Michelin all coming up through the youth setup.

Diop has been a regular at the back for Toulouse and has played every game when fit. Also, he has 2 goals and 2 assists in 20 Ligue 1 appearances, good numbers for a central defender, which also shows that the player is equally capable of contributing to the attacking front.

Reaching for greatness. (Picture Courtesy - AFP/Getty Images)
Reaching for greatness. (Picture Courtesy – AFP/Getty Images)

Toulouse already have clubs circling around one of their fabled youngsters Alban Lafont, with the likes of Arsenal, Juventus and Lazio among other clubs interested in the Toulouse first-choice.

Arsenal and Tottenham had both sent scouts to watch the player over the weekend. And, they would have sent glittering reports back to the club, with the player starring at the back as his side managed to keep the world-class Paris Saint-Germain attack at bay for the whole ninety.

The 20-year-old, though, is now out with a back problem but is expected to return soon. Diop signed a new long-term deal in the summer of 2016, one that sees him extend his stay at Toulouse to 2020, if he does end up honouring the entire extent of the contract.

Tottenham have seen Mauricio Pochettino deploy a 3-man defence often this season, which makes his squad look like it’s lacking depth in the central defence. It looks like the Argentine has established a profile of transfer targets for Spurs and Issa Diop, being a young talent himself, seems to fit the bill.

Arsenal, on the other hand, do not have major central defensive issues of their own. The Gunners have the pairing of Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi with the likes of Per Mertesacker, Rob Holding, Gabriel Paulista and several other young youth products lying in the wait.

But, Arsenal might just be keeping a track of Issa Diop in case a player or two end up leaving. Interest from Arsenal and Tottenham goes a long way into adding credibility to the talent that Issa Diop is.

And, whether either of these clubs do end up going in for him in the summer or not, Issa Diop looks like a talent tipped for big things – be it at Toulouse or otherwise.

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