Mourinho sends scout to monitor €20-rated Fenerbahce captain

Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has sent scouts to monitor 24-year-old Fenerbahce captain Ozan Tufan, according to reports.

The Turkish Super Lig ace has been frequently linked with a move to the Premier League in the Turkish press recently, according to TurkishFootball.com.

And it is reported that Spurs are amongst Everton and interestingly League One Sunderland in the teams who plan to send scouts to watch the holding midfielder in Fenerbahce’s upcoming ‘Intercontinental Derby’ against Galatasary.

Mourinho is currently lacking in defensive midfield options, and with Eric Dier’s contract set to expire next year, the Spurs boss is looking for a long-term successor to slot into the holding midfield.

The Turkey international has recently penned a new deal keeping him at the club until 2023, but according to Tufan’s agent, Utku Cenikli, the Fenerbahce skipper is pushing for a move to Europe this summer.

“Ozan has always wanted to play in Europe. He returned to Fenerbahce and felt he had a debt to pay,” Cenikli said.

“He does have a €20m release clause which will be his way of giving back.”

The box-to-box midfielder has been indispensable for coach Ersun Yanal, featuring in all 22 league games for the Super Lig giants this season, scoring two and setting up five.

Tufan has been one of Fenerbahce’s best players this season, and is the type of midfielder who can aid at both ends of the pitch, a quality which will undoubtedly impress the Spurs boss.

The 24-year-old has featured heavily for the Turkish national side, having started with the youth team aged 16, scoring five goals in 47 appearances.

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And since his first professional cap in 2014 for Senol Gunes’s side, he has developed into one of Turkey’s most important players, and is expected to play a pivotal role in their Euro 2020 campaign.