Tottenham are reportedly leading Arsenal in the race to sign KRC Genk midfielder Sander Berge, who is valued at around €15 million.
As per an exclusive report by Team Talk, Tottenham are leading the chase for Norwegian starlet Sander Berge, who is also a long-term target for Arsenal. Spurs are set to make a move for the KRC Genk midfielder, who is valued at around €15 million, in the January transfer window.
Sander Berge is a name who has been on the radar of a number of top clubs before he even sealed his move to KRC Genk from Valerenga in January 2017. Since then though, his progress has been quite remarkable, even though the youngster missed a large chunk of last season due to a groin injury.
The 20-year-old, who has already earned 12 caps for Norway, has exploded at the start of the current campaign, having played a key role in Genk’s dominance in the Jupiler Pro League so far, making 20 appearances across all competitions. His advent has alerted several clubs, including Tottenham and Arsenal.
At Tottenham, the need to bolster the midfield department is necessary. Victor Wanyama’s tryst with injuries has continued this season while Mousa Dembele is starting to be phased out of the first-team setup as well. With Moussa Sissoko not considered as a regular, Eric Dier and Harry Winks remain the only viable option at Mauricio Pochettino’s disposal.
Berge is thus, a viable target for Tottenham, who could have a long-term solution in the Norwegian in the middle of the park. However, Spurs are not alone in pursuit of the 20-year-old, with Arsenal also interested in securing his services. The interest from the Gunners though, comes as a bit of a surprise.
For a long time, Arsenal had an urgent need to sign a holding midfielder, which was a major hole in their squad. However, with Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira arriving at the Emirates in the summer transfer window, there are two quality defensive midfielders at Unai Emery’s disposal.
While Arsenal could be forced into the transfer market for a midfielder upon the departure of Aaron Ramsey, which looks likely, the said midfielder will probably be attack-minded. Nevertheless, the North Londoners are continuing their pursuit of Berge, who they’ve been monitoring for well over a year now.
The player’s transfer fee will certainly not pose a problem to either Arsenal or Tottenham, who are both known to be operating on limited budgets for different reasons. Genk value Berge at around €15 million, which is an attractive price tag.
Berge though, could be better served joining Tottenham, with Arsenal already well stocked in the holding midfield department. Either way, the 20-year-old is primed for bigger things, with the likes of Everton, West Ham United and the North London rivals hot in his pursuit.
