Tottenham agree deal in principle with Ajax for £42m Davinson Sanchez

Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on their first signing of the summer after agreeing a deal in principle with Ajax to sign Davinson Sanchez.

Spurs finally made a breakthrough on Thursday afternoon for a deal for the Colombian centre-back. They will pay £28m for Sanchez as well as a potential extra £14m in add-ons. The only disagreement between Tottenham and Ajax remains the timing of the payments, with Ajax trying on Thursday to speed up the process faster than was initially planned.

Sanchez told Ajax on Monday that he wanted to join Spurs even though the club offered him a bumper new deal to keep him in Amsterdam. With a deal between the two clubs getting closer this week, Sanchez was withdrawn from Ajax’s squad for their Europa League play-off game against Rosenborg on Thursday evening.

The 21-year-old Sanchez had been a target for Real Madrid and Barcelona last year but he will be playing for Spurs this season, providing competition for two other former Ajax players Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld at centre-back.

He is Spurs’ first addition after a frustrating summer so far, in which Kyle Walker was sold to Manchester City for £50m last month. Spurs are still targeting another two signings, in midfield and up front, before the end of the window as Mauricio Pochettino tries to strengthen his squad for this season.