Tottenham receive boost in Victor Wanyama chase after Southampton leave midfielder out of Norwich game

Tottenham have received a huge boost to their hopes of securing the services of Victor Wanyama after the Southampton midfielder was been left out of Ronald Koeman's squad for the game against Norwich on Sunday, 30 August. The Dutch manager has admitted the Kenya international is not "mentally and physically good enough to play" the game amid the speculations linking him with a move to White Hart Lane.

The Kenya international already missed the Europa League midweek defeat against FC Midtjylland because of a mystery "stomach infection". The fresh news, however, increased the speculations about his future after Sky Sports recently reported that on Friday he asked Southampton to leave the club.

Mauricio Pochettino has been heavily linked with a move for the midfielder throw the summer after he already managed him during his spell at the Saints. The Argentinian has already signed fifth players during the summer transfer window in Son Heung-Min, Kieran Trippier, Kevin Wimmer, Toby Alderweireld former Lyon striker Clinton Njie.

But while the club are expected to make a move to sign West Brom striker Saido Berahino in the coming days, Sky Sport claimed Tottenham also remain strongly interested in signing Wanyama before the end of the transfer window. Nevertheless, the departures of Etienne Capoue, Paulinho and Benjamin Stambouli have left his squad short of options for the role.

Koeman assured earlier this week that Southampton were unlikely to sell any players in the last days of the summer transfer window, after having already allowed Morgan Schneiderlin to join United and Nathaniel Clyne to move to Liverpool.

"Listen, there is no bid for any player," he said, according to The Evening Standard. "Not for Wanyama, not for Sadio, not anyone," Koeman said. "We have to deal with rumours of the press and maybe somebody of Manchester – I don't know. There is no contact and no bid for nobody and we don't sell any more players. That is very clear in my opinion."

However, the manager decision to leave him out of the squad because he is not "mentally" ready to play suggests the opposite.