Tottenham Hotspur step up interest in Marseille striker Michy Batshuayi but may have to wait until summer

Tottenham Hotspur target Michy Batshuayi will not leave Marseille during the January transfer window, but it is believed he will become available over the summer.

The Daily Mail claim Belgium international Batshuayi is wanted by Mauricio Pochettino, who is keen add to his options up front with Harry Kane the club's only established centre forward.

His 11 goals in 18 appearances for Marseille this season have heightened interest that has lingered since the summer, but the Mail suggest the Ligue 1 side are expecting at least £30m ($45.1m) from any club serious about signing the player.

Marseille president Vincent Labrune is intent on keeping the player beyond the current season, but realises if the club fail to qualify for the Champions League, they will struggle to hold on to the striker.

"If I could offer him €700,000 a month, I would. But that is impossible," he said, Le Sport 10 reports. "If you go in the Champions League next year, and Michy wants to stay one more season, it would be a pleasure."

Het Nieuwsblad in Belgium also confirm Tottenham are among the clubs keeping a close eye on the 23-year-old striker. They suggest however that Batshuayi is happy to remain at the Ligue 1 side for the rest of the season to ensure he remains firmly in Marc Wilmots' plans for Belgium's Euro 2016 campaign. A move to White Hart Lane would likely see him, at the very best, share first team duties with Harry Kane and Batshuayi is not ready to put his starring role at risk, they suggest.

While Spurs boss Pochettino insists he has options in Clinton N'Jie and Son Heung-min to provide cover for Kane, he admits he still needs another specialist striker amongst his ranks.

"We have offensive players who can play like Harry," Pochettino said. "There is Sonny or [Nacer] Chadli or Clinton – they can play like a striker. But I recognise they are not specific strikers, so maybe we work to try to find such a player we can add in the next transfer window or in the summer. We are trying to follow players now but it is very difficult."