Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly locked in a battle with Leicester City and Nottingham Forest in the pursuit of non-league star Fin Barker.
According to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing a move for another non-league player in the form of Fin Barker. The Premier League giants are closely monitoring the progress of the 18-year-old attacking sensation, who has impressed onlookers with his performances in non-league football.
Tottenham are joined by Leicester City and Nottingham Forest in the race to sign Barker, who plies his trade for Mickleover FC. The club from Derby are aware of the growing interest in the youngster and are not expected to stand in his way, should the player opt to take the next step in his career.
A centre-forward by trade, Barker has made a solid impression with his talent in the Northern Premier League, the seventh tier in the English footballing pyramid. He has scored multiple goals for Mickleover Sports this season, thereby attracting interest from some of the biggest teams in England.
Tottenham are among the clubs scouting the 18-year-old as they look to strengthen their youth ranks in order to compete with local rivals Arsenal and Chelsea. The Lilywhites were notably linked with another non-league player in January in Ollie Tanner of Lewes FC, also from the seventh division.
However, the former Arsenal academy star ended up rejecting Spurs’ proposal, remaining at Lewes FC for the time being. Tottenham will look to avoid a similar situation with Barker, who is certainly destined for a move to a bigger team in the near future.
This time around, Tottenham can expect stiff competition from Premier League rivals Leicester City. Even Nottingham Forest are involved in the chase, with the report suggesting that the Championship outfit are at a major advantage in the pursuit of Barker, thanks to the influence of manager Steve Cooper.
The 42-year-old has a reputation for unearthing talents from the lower leagues that could attract someone like Barker, who will be keen on finding regular minutes in professional football rather than joining a big club. Therefore, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for the youngster, who is eligible to move elsewhere outside the transfer window being a non-league player.