Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Ashley Phillips is closing in on a move to Middlesbrough.

According to Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge, Tottenham are in advanced talks with the Championship side over a deal for the forgotten defender.

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Tottenham and Middlesbrough initially struggled to find common ground, but negotiations are now moving in a positive direction. It’s only a matter of time before an agreement is finalised.

Spurs have already spent a fortune to revamp their squad this summer and have shored up their leaky backline with a few experienced and quality additions.

Marcos Senesi and Andrew Robertson joined Tottenham on a free transfer while Jan Paul van Hecke came in from Brighton & Hove Albion in a deal worth around £60 million.

That has given Tottenham plenty of defensive options and also forced them to trim their bloated squad before bringing in fresh reinforcements.

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Phillips is one of several players expected to jump ship, and a move to Middlesbrough is on the cards.

Tottenham signed Phillips from Blackburn Rovers in a £2m deal in 2023. However, he never really got a chance to prove his worth or stake any real claim for a starting spot.

He spent the majority of his Tottenham career out on loan in the Championship. He was at Stoke City in the last couple of seasons following another temporary stint at Plymouth Argyle.

Tottenham are now ready to let Phillips leave on a permanent deal, and Middlesbrough are well positioned to strike a deal.

The 21-year-old is Middlesbrough’s top summer transfer target.

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If the deal is completed, Phillips will become the latest player to swap Tottenham for the Riverside Stadium after Will Lankshear earlier this summer.

Lankshear joined Boro in a deal that could eventually become the club’s record signing. Interestingly. this comes as captain Micky van de Ven is closing in on a new contract.

Phillips is not in Roberto De Zerbi’s long-term plans, which makes him expendable.

The Italian head coach is far from done with the transfer market. However, he needs to clear the deck through player sales before bringing in new players.