Tottenham have joined Manchester United and Manchester City in the race to sign Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen, while Sunday’s transfer gossip claims that United have a four-man striker shortlist.

Tottenham are the latest club to reportedly show an interest in signing towering Chelsea centre-back Andreas Christensen.

The Denmark international’s current contract runs out in the summer of 2022, and the fact that he has yet to sign an extension has attracted plenty of interest from fellow Premier League clubs and abroad.

Antonio Conte and Spurs sporting director Fabio Paratici have identified central defence as an area that needs great improvement. To that end, Christensen has been pinpointed as an upgrade on what the club already has, probably bar Cristian Romero.

The 25-year-old is an even more tempting proposition, given that he can sign on a free next summer. That would allow Conte and Tottenham to use funds to bolster other areas of a squad that needs a change-up.

The main issue for Spurs will be getting Christensen to north London, especially with both Manchester clubs keen on him too.

All three clubs could try and swoop in January and sign the player in a bargain deal. But if they don’t then foreign clubs can sign a pre-contract agreement with the centre-back in the New Year, with AC Milan and Barcelona particularly keen.

The report in the Daily Star adds that, at this stage, there is no certainty that Christensen will leave. Indeed, Thomas Tuchel is still hopeful that the player will end up penning a new deal.

That would be a huge boost for the Blues, especially given that Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilucueta look certain to quit the club next summer.

Barcelona have emerged as the favourites to sign Cesar Azpilicueta on a free transfer next year, with the Spaniard’s Chelsea team-mates now fearing that their captain’s days at Stamford Bridge are numbered.

Chelsea’s need to cover up a potential central defensive crisis has seen them add Torino’s Gleison Bremer to their list of possible targets.

• TeamTalk