Tottenham Close to Signing Eric Dier from Sporting Lisbon

Tottenham Hotspur are close to signing English defender Eric Dier from Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon.

According to the Daily Mail, Spurs have been keeping tabs on the young defender and are now close to agreeing a deal in the region of £4m to bring him to White Hart Lane.

Mauricio Pochettino has been keen to strengthen his defence this transfer window, especially with the uncertain futures of current defenders Michael Dawson and Younes Kaboul. He has already signed left-back Ben Davies and goalkeeper Michel Vorm from Swansea City and is now set to add another to his defensive department.

The 20-year-old defender was born in Cheltenham, but moved to Portugal when he was 10, where he was spotted by the Sporting scouts. He has been with them ever since and has risen through the youth system and is now part of the first team set up at the Portuguese club.

Dier did have a spell in England, when he was loaned out to Everton in 2011, but failed to make an impact with the Toffees. He eventually returned to Portugal and last season he went on to make 15 appearances for Sporting.

The north London club will be signing the defender with an eye on the future. The England youth international has attracted interest from other clubs as well, and it is reported that Spurs could face competition from Premier League rivals Newcastle United for the Englishman's signature.

Meanwhile, Spurs striker Harry Kane has been reflecting on the club's tour of the USA. The England youth international is a big fan of American sports, especially the NFL and MLB. During the tour the young striker got a chance to meet some of the stars of the NFL and also got to throw the first pitch at the famous Wrigley's stadium, home to the Chicago Cubs.

"I love my US sports and I've been able to train with Seattle Seahawks and throw the first pitch at Wrigley Field, both fantastic experiences," Harry told Tottenham's official site.

"Meeting the Seahawks was something special, not least as they are the NFL champions. I was like a kid in the playground. They were great guys."

"Overall, it's been a great Tour, on and off the field," the young English striker added.