Tottenham running out to time to secure Lucas Moura signing ahead of transfer deadline

Tottenham Hotspur have several hurdles to jump in order to complete the signing of Paris Saint-Germain winger Lucas Moura before the end of the January transfer window.

ESPN understand a fee between the two clubs had yet to be agreed, while the 25-year-old is still to undergo a medical and must be granted a work permit to move to the Premier League.

PSG want €30m (£26.4m) for Moura, who they signed from Sao Paulo in 2012, though they could yet agree a fee with Tottenham closer to €25m.

Reports claim Tottenham have agreed personal terms with Moura – who is thought to earn between £75,000 and £80,000 a week in the French capital.

The Brazil international appears keen on moving to north London having met Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and manager Mauricio Pochettino last week and been given a tour of the club's training ground.

Yet the amount of obstacles remaining before the move can be finalised means Tottenham officials believe they are running out of time to complete all aspects of the deal.

L'Equipe understood this morning that Arsenal had begun preliminary talks to bring Moura to the Emirates Stadium, after holding discussions with the player's agent, though their focus continues to be on signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Moura would only become a realistic option for the Gunners if their pursuit of Aubameyang – which now appears to hinge of Borussia Dortmund finding a replacement – fails in the final 72 hours of the January window.

Winner of 35 caps for his country, Moura represents an attractive proposition for both Arsenal and Tottenham due his eligibility to play in Europe, having not featured in any of PSG's six Champions League group games as they progressed to the last 16.

Indeed, Moura has only played six times this season, in part down to the summer arrival of Neymar for €222m from Barcelona, and has failed to start any of the club's 23 top flight fixtures leading to manager Unai Emery urging the player to seek pastures new.

Manchester United had reportedly agreed terms to sign Moura earlier this month but as they turned their attention to acquiring Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal, Tottenham have emerged as front-runners.

Having been coy throughout the month regarding Tottenham's transfer plans, manager Mauricio Pochettino hinted for the first time over the weekend that at least one signing could be made before the window slams shut on 31 January.

"There's a lot of rumours about different players and I never talk about rumours," he said. "But we'll see what happens in the last few days.

"Of course we have some options. We are going in the last few days to see if we can add players that add good quality. If not then it won't happen. But it's about in the next few days to see if we have some possibilities with some players."

Regardless of whether Tottenham are successful in luring Moura to the club, two players could leave in the closing hours of the window. Luke Amos should be allow to depart on loan, with Stevenage the front-runners, while Kyle Walker-Peters is yearning for a move having not played a league game since September.