Club Brugge manager Marc Degryse has confirmed the Belgian club
have been holding talks with Tottenham regarding a possible
cooperation.
The North London club are keen to extend their roots across the
continent, and view the Belgian side as a potential avenue to
bringing the best young African talent to the Premiership.
Technical director Damien Comolli has been restless in his pursuit
of young foreign talent since arriving in North London, and any
deal with the club Spurs beat 3-1 in the Uefa Cup earlier this
season would offer a fastrack to EU passports for foreign
starlets.
Manchester United enjoy a similar arrangement with Royal Antwerp,
whilst Chelsea have a close relationship with both Westerlo and PSV
Eindhoven of Holland.
Arsenal ended a long-term agreement with Beveren earlier in the
year, but former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Degryse has now
revealed that Spurs could be the latest Premiership side to extend
their influence in Belgium after meeting with the London club in
the past few days.
"We are supposed to fit in their plans for the long term," Degryse
told Gazet van Antwerpen.
"Tottenham wants to use us to give players from their African
academies a chance."
Degryse has also spoken with West Ham and Fulham, but Tottenham
look to be at the forefront of the club's plans for a Premiership
cooperation.
"These were exploratory meetings, these contacts have to be more
concrete," Degryse added in regard to Fulham and The Hammers.