Tottenham battling Southampton for highly rated Senegal international

Tottenham Hotspur are chasing Red Bull Salzburg's Sadio Mane, according to Sport Senegal. Mane is a 22-year-old winger, who Sky says has already been the subject of a reported €15 million bid from Southampton.

To begin, I do not know if Sport Senegal is a real place with real sources or just makes things up. That the report is coming from his home country makes sense so it passes that test, and a lot more passes the smell test too.

If Spurs are really chasing Mane, though, it would make sense. He fits the goal-scoring winger mold that Tottenham have been chasing all summer, having bagged 45 goals in 86 matches for Salzburg. He has also been a Southampton target for a year now, which means Mauricio Pochettino had some sort of interest in him before he moved to White Hart Lane. It would be perfectly reasonable for Pochettino to continue to rate Mane, even at a new club, and want to sign him.

Southampton are still chasing Mane, so Spurs wouldn't be able to just swoop in and grab him. There is serious competition for Mane, but he does have a reported €20 million release clause. He is also said to already be in London, where his agent is conducting negotiations and he can quickly go for a medical. Whether Spurs are interested in Mane or not, other interest in him appears very serious and he appears very serious about making a move.

So no, we don't know if Sport Senegal is legit. But it sure sounds like something real.