Tottenham and West Ham among Premier League clubs 'interested' in out-of-contract defender

Both Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United are believed to be interested in signing Bournemouth defender, Lloyd Kelly, on a free transfer at the end of the season when his current deal with the Cherries expires.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Bournemouth are 'not confident' that Kelly will sign a new deal at the Vitality Stadium. If he does not do so, it will open the door for a club to pick him up as a free agent.

He signed for the south coast club back in 2019 from Bristol City for an undisclosed fee - since then, he has made 119 league appearances for the Cherries, scoring two goals. He is thought to be in the reckoning for Gareth Southgate's England squad at the 2024 Euros - he has yet to win a cap for the Three Lions, but he has represented them at youth level.

Spurs and the Hammers aren't the only clubs who are interested in snapping up Kelly on a free transfer, however. Newcastle United have also been linked with a move for the 25-year-old - given their considerable financial muscle, the two London rivals will need to work hard if they wish to bring him on board.

How would Lloyd Kelly improve Tottenham's backline?

A technically-adept, left-footed centre-back, Kelly is similar in many ways to an existing member of the Tottenham squad - Micky Van de Ven. Given the Dutchman's spotty injury record, coupled with his importance to the team and the lack of defensive depth available, it makes a lot of sense for Spurs to go for a player like Kelly.

Should Van de Ven ever be ruled out with another lengthy injury, Kelly can simply assume his position in the starting XI. He's an adaptable player, too - he is also comfortable when played in the left-back role, given his pace and natural ability.