Tottenham Hotspur have opened talks to sign RB Leipzig star Xavi Simons, a player long pursued by Chelsea.

The Dutch midfielder has been a top target for Chelsea throughout the summer, but the club have struggled to reach an agreement with Leipzig.

The Bundesliga side rejected a player-plus-cash deal that would have seen Christopher Nkunku return to Germany, and they continue to demand around €70 million (£60.4m) for the highly-rated talent.

Now Tottenham have entered the race, with reports suggesting they are confident Simons could be tempted by a move to North London.

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s pursuit of Simons appeared close earlier this month when he was left out of Leipzig’s pre-season clash against Atalanta.

However, he has since returned to the line-up, playing the full 90 minutes in a 6-0 defeat to Bayern Munich.