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Tottenham transfer news: Fulham owner provides deadline day update on Ryan Sessegnon links
FULHAM have dismissed any chance of Ryan Sessegnon making a deadline day switch to Tottenham.
Reports yesterday from Bleacher Report suggested that the newly-promoted side were fearful of a last-minute approach from their London rivals for the prodigious 18-year-old.
Despite continuous links to Jack Grealish and Wilfried Zaha, Spurs have yet to make a single summer signing - marking them as the only Premier League club not to conduct any business.
Bleacher Report’s Dean Jones suggested on social media that Fulham feared Spurs “potentially have loads” of money lying around given their lack of activity and could make an approach.
In response, BBC Sport’s David Ornstein said: “Tottenham made Fulham an offer for Sessegnon several weeks ago, proposed a deal that would see Danny Rose go the other way.
“#THFC want to move Rose (and Alderweireld for that matter) out - but couldn’t reach agreement and Sessegnon now won’t be leaving #FFC this transfer window.”
But the Cottagers’ director of football Tony Khan insists that the Craven Cottage club will rebuff all offers today until the window shuts at 5pm.
Khan said on Twitter last night: “We’re not selling @ryansessegnon. We’ve never considered it!
“I couldn’t sit back and read these false rumors anymore, had to say something.
Ryan's key to this Fulham squad.
“Ryan’s key to this @fulhamfc squad; he’s one of the top young talents worldwide and in our plans for @premierleaguesuccess. Come on Fulham!”
Sessegnon - who can play at left-back and as a winger - is one of England’s brightest young talents after his first-team emergence aged just 16 two years ago.
Sessegnon was crowned the Championship Player, Young Player and Apprentice of the Season last term for his 15 goals and six assists as Slavisa Jovanovic’s side beat Aston Villa in the play-off final to gain promotion.
His development has put him on the radar of all the Premier League’s big clubs and he is said to have turned down a move to Manchester United in the January window.
But Spurs have been most strongly linked with a move since then with it claimed back in February that they would make a £35million summer move.
No such approach has transpired but Fulham reportedly value their in-demand teenager - a sure-fire bet to break into Gareth Southgate’s England set-up over the coming campaigns - at nearer to £50m.
Sessegnon has shown no desire of wanting to leave Fulham with his current contract running until the summer of 2020.
Fulham reportedly have the option to extend his stay by another two years and were reported last month to have tied Sessegnon down to an extra 12 months, although no official confirmation has yet followed with talks in progress.
Just last month, Jokanovic revealed enormous praise for the player as he enthused that Sessegnon is a blend of two Real Madrid superstars.
“He is an incredible player project, with a fantastic physical capacity,” the Serbian manager said.
“People compare him to [Gareth] Bale, for me it’s a mix between Marcelo and Bale.
“I’ve used him lately in a more offensive role, but he’s ready to be left-back of a big team that constantly attacks. He still has a lot of room for improvement.”