Liverpool lead chase for Spurs star

Liverpool lead a line of top clubs vying for Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen; Arsene Wenger has revealed his interest in a French winger; and Swansea’s Ashley Williams is being linked with a move to European giants Napoli – the top stories from the morning papers.

‘Liverpool head a pack of clubs chasing Vertonghen’ -Liverpool will move for Jan Vertonghen this summer if the Reds secure Champions League qualification, according to various paper reports this morning. The Tottenham defender hinted last week that he would pursue a move away from White Hart Lane if Tim Sherwood’s men failed to finish in the top four this season and a number of papers believe that he could be on his way to Liverpool over the summer. According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool are ready to pounce as manager Brendan Rodgers looks to strengthen his back line.

Paper Round’s view: Liverpool may now be title contenders but there is very little chance of Daniel Levy allowing the imposing defender to leave White Hart Lane to Spurs’ Premier League rivals. With Tottenham likely to make a big-name managerial appointment over the summer, Vertonghen will likely see what the club have planned and assess his options from there. His agent may have made all the right noises, but expect an improved contract to put all of that to bed. Rodgers may be very keen to land his man, but buying a key player from a rival club in England is not the easiest path to head down.