Spurs to sell Stambouli, but could they snag Champions League starlet in return?

More and more information is leaking out about a possible deal that will take Tottenham Hotspur defensive midfielder Benjamin Stambouli back to his homeland. Just days after a transfer to Premier League newcomers Watford seemed imminent, now French daily L'Equipe is reporting that Ligue 1 giants Paris St.-Germain have offered Spurs €7m (about £4.9m) for Stambouli.

Stambouli was adamant that he wouldn't be returning to France, but when a European giant like PSG comes calling it tends to make you sit up and listen. L'Equipe claims that manager Laurent Blanc wants to complete the deal quickly so Stambouli can participate in PSG's upcoming preseason tour to USA. As far as Tottenham is concerned, PSG is offering more money than Watford, Spurs wouldn't be strengthening another EPL side, and the club seems content to sell Stambouli regardless, so this is win-win.

Meanwhile, former Tottenham target Adrien Rabiot is rattling his chains at PSG and is demanding to leave the club. Le Parisien writes that Rabiot (and his manager mother) wants to meet with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi where he will request a transfer out of Paris this summer.

Spurs were very high on Rabiot last January and reportedly nearly signed him on loan before PSG abruptly broke off negotiations, refusing to let him leave. Rabiot, just 20, has an enormous ceiling and despite his youth would be considered an upgrade at central midfield for Spurs. Having just signed a new four year contract with PSG last summer, it's thought that he would command a transfer fee of around £20m. PSG clearly doesn't want to sell and lose a player of Rabiot's ability, but Le Parisien suggests that his mother has been meeting with other clubs behind PSG's back in order to help force a transfer.

There isn't any real indication that Spurs are back in for Rabiot, apart from the 1 + 1 = 2 speculation that comes from potentially selling an unwanted player to Paris. Le Parisien specifically notes that Rabiot's mother has had contact with officials from West Ham, and the prospect of losing a talent like Rabiot to a club like West Ham makes me a bit nauseous. Spurs need a central midfielder, and £15m + Stambouli for Rabiot would a darned good deal. If it keeps a player like him out of the clutches of Slaven Bilic and the Hammers, then it's a huge bonus and needs to happen immediately.