Spurs might have locked up the goal-scoring winger they need

According to French outlet Foot Mercato, Tottenham Hotspur are close to signing Marseille winger Andre Ayew. They claim that AS Roma and Inter Milan are interested in signing the Ghanian, but that he prefers the Premier League, and Tottenham like his price -- free. They're citing a source close to Ayew.

Of course, just because Ayew's on a free transfer doesn't mean he's exceptionally cheap. Because no one has to pay a fee for his services, Ayew's representatives are likely to demand a pretty big salary, and they're going to get it.

Ayew is, if nothing else, a safe signing. He's played on the left and the right and has a very high work rate. He's athletic, but technical and fit enough that he'll still be useful if he loses a step of pace. He scored 10 goals in 27 Ligue 1 matches this season and has scored at least eight goals in all competitions during every season of his Marseille career. Ayew also has 11 goals in 62 appearances for Ghana and was the leading scorer at the most recent Africa Cup of Nations.

Foot Mercado isn't the most reliable source of information, but at least they're doing their own reporting, not throwing out an "according to reports in England". This is pretty #batcountry, but not as much as a totally unsourced report would be. Maybe they really do know someone close to Ayew?

If this report is accurate, I'm a fan of the signing. Spurs need a couple of central midfielders more than they need a winger, and if signing Ayew on a free means we have some cash to get a Morgan Schneiderlin-Like Substance, that's fantastic.