One of Tottenham Hotspur's fringe players is reportedly at the centre of a transfer tussle between a pair of European heavyweights ahead of the summer window.
Danish midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was one of the first names on the Lilywhites team sheet under Antonio Conte, but the arrival of Ange Postecoglou led to a downturn in fortunes.
With the Australian favouring the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr in the engine room, Hojbjerg only made eight Premier League starts, appearing as a substitute in a further 28 matches.
The former Bayern Munich man is still under the same terms he penned upon his arrival from Southampton in 2020, and unless he pens a renewal, he can leave the club for nothing at the end of next season.
Having shelled out £14.2m to bring Hojbjerg to the club, Tottenham are desperate to avoid that scenario coming to fruition, and the club are therefore expected to entertain appropriate bids this summer.
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Juventus, AC Milan 'in race for Hojbjerg'
According to talkSPORT, Serie A giants AC Milan and Juventus are both showing an interest in Hojbjerg and are preparing to rival one another for the midfielder's signature this summer.
While Nicolo Fagioli's betting ban has now run its course, Juventus remain without Paul Pogba due to his lengthy doping suspension and are expected to terminate the Frenchman's contract in due course.
Meanwhile, Premier League-linked Adrien Rabiot could depart the Bianconeri when his contract expires at the end of the season, while Weston McKennie's future is also unclear.
However, the Old Lady will face fierce competition from Milan for Hojbjerg, who has come up with 10 goals and 16 assists in 184 appearances for Tottenham across all competitions.
The ex-Southampton lynchpin has been included in Denmark's Euro 2024 squad despite falling down the Spurs pecking order, and his nation begin their tournament against Slovenia on June 16.
Hojbjerg 'one of 11 Spurs players up for sale'
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After failing to sustain a push for a Champions League place let alone a title charge, Tottenham will undergo another significant summer of transition under Postecoglou, who is ready to do away with a plethora of players.
A separate report from the Evening Standard claims that the Lilywhites will let 11 players leave for the right price this summer, including Hojbjerg's fellow midfielders Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele, the latter of whom has failed to live up to his club-record price tag.
Several men whose contracts expire in 2025 - including Sergio Reguilon, Joe Rodon and Japhet Tanganga - are up for sale too, as are Richarlison, Manor Solomon, Bryan Gil, Emerson Royal and Djed Spence.
Ryan Sessegnon is the only Tottenham player due to become a free agent at the end of the month, and Spurs have reportedly decided to part ways with the injury-riddled 24-year-old.
Ben Knapton
