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Tottenham and Fulham to compete for Sporting Lisbon's England U-21 international Eric Dier
TOTTENHAM and Fulham are set to go head-to-head for the signing of Sporting Lisbon's England Under-21 international Eric Dier.
Reports in Portugal suggest that Dier is unhappy at not being part of the starting line-up at Sporting and could be ready to return to England.
According to Portugese paper Record, Tottenham and Fulham have been closely monitoring Dier's progress and would be willing to pay up to €5m (£4.2m) for the 19-year-old.
Cheltenham-born Dier moved to Portugal as a 10-year-old in 2004 and remained there as part of Sporting's academy even after his parents returned home in 2010.
Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United were all credited with an interest in the player before he signed professional terms with Sporting in April 2010.
Dier had a brief spell on loan at Everton in 2011 where he trained with the youth team as part of his development.
Versatile defender Dier, who can play centrally or as a full-back, as well as in midfield, was part of Peter Taylor's Under-20 squad that went to the World Cup in Turkey earlier this summer and made his debut for England's Under-21's in their 6-0 thrashing of Scotland after coming on as a 73rd minute substitute.