Tottenham’s pursuit of Southampton defender Thierry Small has come to a close after they failed to reach the asking price set by the Premier League rivals.
According to Football Insider, Tottenham offered £800,000 for the 18-year-old but Southampton were seeking £1.2 million for the permanent transfer.
Tottenham were reportedly not willing to increase their bid for the left-back and had to withdraw from their pursuit.
St Mirren were successful in securing Small on loan, and the Scottish Premiership club confirmed the signing on Tuesday evening.
Tottenham were keen on a permanent transfer for Small, who they saw as a young player with immense potential.
The teenager, who can play as a left-back or left wing-back, was being overlooked at Southampton.
Spurs performance director Gretar Steinsson, who knew Small from his time at Everton, was the driving force behind the club’s interest in the player.
St Mirren Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Thierry Small on loan from @SouthamptonFC until the end of the season subject to clearance.
Welcome to St Mirren, Thierry! #OurStMirren #COYS
— St Mirren FC (@saintmirrenfc) January 31, 2023
However, the North London club are known in the industry for not spending big on young players who need to be developed, which may have been a factor in the club’s reluctance to increase their bid.
Small started his youth career at West Brom and moved to Everton where he became a regular for their Under-23s team. He made history as Everton’s youngest ever first-team player, appearing in an FA Cup win against Sheffield Wednesday at the age of 16 years and 176 days. In August 2021, he joined Southampton on a three-year deal.
Despite the failed bid, Tottenham will continue to monitor Small’s progress as he continues his development at St Mirren.
