Tuesday 3 January 2017 16:13, UK
Tottenham are determined to hold onto Dele Alli and will not sell at any price, despite reports Real Madrid are considering a summer bid for the England midfielder.
The 20-year-old has racked up 20 goals and 10 assists in 51 Premier League appearances since he joined Spurs from MK Dons in the summer of 2015.
That form has caught the attention of Real and Sky sources have confirmed the Spanish giants have been closely monitoring Alli since last season.
A January bid is out of the question as Real are banned from signing players after breaching FIFA transfer rules but Spurs will strongly resist potential offers in the summer.
However, the advances of Real are difficult to dismiss as Spurs found out when they were persuaded to sell both Luka Modric and Gareth Bale to the European champions.
Alli, the PFA Young Player of the Year, committed his future to the club in September when he signed a deal which keeps him at White Hart Lane until 2022.
With Tottenham constructing a new stadium, manager Mauricio Pochettino - who himself signed a contract extension in May - has admitted the club's spending will be limited over the next few seasons.
In recognition of this, chairman Daniel Levy has been proactive in agreeing new contracts for the club's core players with Harry Kane, Jan Vertonghen, Christian Eriksen and captain Hugo Lloris also committing their futures to the club this season.
Alli is central to this policy and Tottenham are willing to fight to keep their prized asset.
