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Pochettino reveals missed transfer target

Cape Town - Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that his number one off-season transfer target was Senegal striker Keita Balde.

Spurs ended up not signing anyone despite reportedly chasing a number of targets, including Aston Villa's Jack Grealish, Bordeaux's Malcom, Wilmar Barrios from Boca Juniors and Schalke's Max Meyer.

But Pochettino says he was focused on signing the former AS Monaco striker who has since joined Inter Milan.

Speaking ahead of his side's Champions League clash with Inter, where Spurs suffered a late 2-1 loss despite scoring first, the Tottenham boss explained to Sky Sports Italia: "Yes, it’s true.

"I’ve been following him since he grew up in Barcelona while I was at Espanyol.

"He is a player with an interesting profile for us, I wanted him but then he chose Monaco. But he remains an excellent striker."

Keita joined Inter on loan for €6 million, and the club has a €30 million option to buy the player at the end of the season.

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