£26m star 'heading towards' Tottenham switch as Man Utd plot 'dream' defender swoop

We begin Wednesday's Premier League transfer rumour round-up with news from Italy on Tottenham Hospur's pursuit of a new defender. Spurs have been decimated by injuries this season, and as such, are expected to delve into the market for reinforcements this month. One player who they understood to be pursuing is Genoa star Radu Dragusin.

The Romanian is reportedly valued at around £26 million by his current club, and is also attracting interest from reigning Serie A champions Napoli. According to an update from TuttoMercatoWeb, however, the Italian giants may have to abandon their hopes of signing him because, as things stand, he is 'heading towards' joining Tottenham.

The 3AM Verdict: This is a whisper that is gathering real pace. Dragusin is a fine, fine player, and exactly the kind of signing that Tottenham should be looking to make this month. Competition for his signature appears stiff, but at the time of writing Spurs appear to be in pole position, and now it is just a case of them holding steady and seeing any potential deal over the line.

Wolves in for Gomes

Elsewhere, in news that will shock absolutely nobody whatsoever, Wolves are said to be nearing an agreement to sign a promising young Portuguese talent in the coming days. According to an update from Maisfutebol, negotiations are ‘very well underway’ with SC Braga to bring in wide man Rodrigo Gomes in a deal worth around £10.4 million.

The 20-year-old typically operates as a winger, but has enjoyed decent success as a right wing-back this season, registering six goals and six assists in 18 outings since joining Estoril Praia on loan over the summer. Any agreement would require Gomes to complete his loan deal with Estoril before joining Wolves at the end of the season, with A Bola reporting that bonuses could mean that the eventual fee for the youngster rises to around £13 million.

The 3AM Verdict: Gomes has been impressive in the Portuguese top flight this season, and would fit Wolves' identity and tactical approach perfectly. The only slight hiccup here is that Gary O'Neil's men would have to wait half a season before he is actually available to them, but make no mistake, a little bit of patience could yield huge rewards.

Man United dream of Todibo

And finally, Manchester United ‘dream’ of signing OGC Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo, according to Foot Mercato. The French international has been widely touted for a transfer in recent times, with Tottenham seemingly emerging as one potential suitor as they look to plug the hole at the centre of their injury-ravaged defence. Nice's hesitation to strike an agreement could force Ange Postecoglou's side to move on, however, with United ready and waiting to step in if they do.

The Red Devils are said to have been monitoring the 24-year-old for months, and could use the influence of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who is both chairman of Nice and an investor in United, to get a deal over the line. It is more likely that any transfer would take place in the summer, however.

The 3AM Verdict: United seem to be perpetually in need of defensive reinforcements, and to be fair, Todibo looks as if he could be a smart acquisition for them. Then again, how many times has that been said before, and how many times have the subsequent transfers proven themselves to be damp squibs? Let's hope, for everyone's sake, that if this deal does happen, it isn't another costly misstep.