Tottenham 'interested in signing defender Kurt Zouma' from rivals Chelsea

Nuno Espirito Santo's side have already signed Cristian Romero from Atalanta on a one-year loan deal with an option to buy for £42.5m.

However, the Portuguese manager is eyeing further defensive reinforcements by the end of the summer transfer window.

Sky Sports have reported that Zouma is one of a number of defenders that Tottenham are looking into.

Zouma, who has fallen down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge since Chelsea appointed Tuchel, is said to prefer a move that would keep him in London.

It was previously reported that West Ham also hold interest in signing the 26-year-old defender.

The rise of Trevoh Chalobah and Tuchel's own desire to land a new defender - with Joules Kounde linked - has meant that the Blues are open to selling for a fee of around £25million.

By selling Zouma, it would help Chelsea fund a move for Kounde who has a £68m release clause at Sevilla.

It's said that if a deal cannot be struck for Zouma then he will be happy to run out his contract which expires in 2023.

One potential issue for Tottenham is that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich reportedly refuses to sell players to the club's bitter rivals.

Former player Carlton Cole has told the story of how Abramovich stopped the striker from moving to Spurs, even after he had already completed a medical.

He told Talksport: 'I almost joined Spurs. I went and did my medical and everything.

'Roman Abramovich found out and he said ‘you've got to come back, you’re not joining them’. He said 'you can’t go to Spurs, I don’t do business with them'.'

The only player to leave Chelsea for Tottenham since 2003 was goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, who left on a free transfer in 2009.

Zouma was an unused substitute in Chelsea's opening Premier League game of the season, though he played 66 minutes in their UEFA Super Cup victory against Villarreal.