Tottenham transfer news: Spurs in pole position to sign Marseille forward Andre Ayew

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly close to securing a deal for Olympique Marseille forward Andre Ayew.

According to French newspaper Le 10 Sport, the north London club have long been monitoring the Ghanaian international and are set to seal the deal for the 25-year-old to strengthen the attacking division.

Ayew has been linked with a move to England, with Merseyside clubs Liverpool and Everton keen on securing his services. However, Mauricio Pochettino is set to beat the Premier League rivals in bringing him to White Hart Lane.

The forward's contract at Marseille runs out at the end of the season and is now eligible to sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club. The Ligue 1 club are looking to offload Aye and cash in on the player in the mid-season transfer window.

Ayew's large salary has forced Marseille president to sanction the sale of the player in order to reduce his side's wage bill. He is currently with his national side preparing for the African Cup of Nations starting from January 17 in Equatorial Guinea.

The Marseille star has already held discussion with Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris few weeks back and has now set his sights on making a switch to north London. Pochettino's side are already in advanced talks with the French club in acquiring the services of Ayew.

Earlier in November, Ayew had publicly expressed his desire to play in top flight English football, which had alerted both Liverpool and Everton. It is now believed that Tottenham are the frontrunners in securing a pre-contract agreement with the player.

"The Premier League is a league every player dreams about. The English league is the one most followed in Ghana. It's true that I have a real preference for England," Ayew explained.

"I like everything about it; the atmosphere, the game, the fans. There is a lot of intensity. It is a beautiful championship."