Tottenham lead race for PSG midfielder Adrien Rabiot

Tottenham Hotspur are preparing a shock move to sign Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot in January, according to talkSPORT.

The 19-year-old has long been a transfer target for Tottenham's local rivals Arsenal as their manager Arsene Wenger has been an admirer of the talented midfielder. The Gunners were keen on securing the France U21 international's services in the summer.

However, the deal did not take shape as Rabiot continued with the Ligue 1 champions. Despite Arsenal's failure to sign the player, the Emirates club have maintained their interest in signing him.

Rabiot's contract was set to expire at the end of this season and earlier in October he signed a new deal, which will keep him at Parc des Princes till 2019. It is believed that PSG handed a new deal to their player in order to get better value if the Frenchman decides to leave the club.

Rabiot has seen his first team appearances being limited as he has started only one league game for PSG this campaign. Tottenham sporting director Franco Baldini has made him the club's priority signing when the transfer window re-opens next month.

The midfielder was keen on joining the Italian outfit AS Roma in the summer and he is unaware as to why the deal broke down. Rabiot's agent has also admitted that a move to Serie A is still a possibility.

"It is not expected that Rabiot will join Ajax," a spokesman of the Frenchman's sports management company Mondial Sport Management & Consulting Sarl told Ajax Showtime.

"Paris Saint-Germain would like to extend his contract but Rabiot is willing to leave PSG and join Roma. The club have a French coach in Rudi Garcia and Serie A is a much better league than the Eredivise."

Despite interest from Arsenal and Roma, Tottenham are now the frontrunners to acquire the PSG youngster's signature in January. However, any move from Spurs could see them spend heavily in the upcoming transfer market as the player recently agreed a new deal.