Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly made a late bid to land Saint-Etienne defender William Saliba from under the noses of their bitter rivals Arsenal.

The Gunners are said to have met with Saint-Etienne on Tuesday to discuss a swoop for Saliba, who made 16 Ligue 1 appearances for Les Verts during the 2018-19 campaign.

However, according to L'Equipe, the fact that Arsenal have not yet agreed a transfer fee for the 18-year-old has allowed Tottenham to make a late move for the teenage prospect.

Saliba - said to be valued in the region of £27m - only recently signed a new four-year contract at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, placing his French club in a strong position when it comes to negotiations.

Spurs are well stocked in central defence due to the presence of Davinson Sanchez, Juan Foyth, Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen.

However, there is still a chance that Alderweireld could leave the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer, with his release clause due to drop to £25m ahead of the 2019-20 campaign.