Tottenham Hotspur 'send scouts to watch Cercle Brugge's Kevin Denkey'

The 23-year-old currently leads the Golden Boot race in the Jupiler Pro League with an impressive 22 strikes from just 26 top-flight matches, five more than closest challenger Mohamed Amoura of Union SG.

Denkey came through the youth academy at French outfit Nimes, making 27 Ligue 1 appearances for the club, but he failed to lay down a marker in France and was sold to Cercle Brugge for a mere £1.7m in January 2021.

Since touching down in Belgium, Denkey's outfit has improved by the season, as he ended the 2022-23 campaign with 13 goals and nine assists under his belt in all competitions before developing into one of the Jupiler Pro League's most clinical marksmen.

The 23-year-old has scored three braces in his last four top-flight appearances for Cercle Brugge, who sit fifth in the Jupiler Pro League table and are on course to qualify for the Champions' playoffs, where the top six sides in the country will compete for the title and European places.

A 28-cap Togo international, Denkey has found the back of the net seven times for his country, including four goals in his last five appearances across Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifiers.

The 5ft 11in striker is under contract with Cercle Brugge until the summer of 2026, but the Belgian side are braced for offers from elsewhere during the summer transfer window.

According to Foot Mercato, Tottenham are among the clubs to have been monitoring Denkey's performances and sent scouts to watch him in action against Club Brugge on February 18.

Denkey played the full 90 minutes in that encounter and had two shots on target, but he failed to directly contribute to a goal as the two rivals shook hands on a 1-1 draw.

Nevertheless, both Tottenham and Borussia Dortmund are believed to have been impressed with his progress this season, and the report adds that top teams in Ligue 1 could also try to bring him back to France.

Cercle Brugge will apparently demand at least €20m (£17.2m) to part ways with the Togo international, who could follow the likes of Paul Onuachu, Jonathan David, Gift Orban and Victor Boniface to one of Europe's top five leagues from Belgium.

Denkey was recently quizzed on a possible return to France during a visit to Monaco, and as quoted by Foot Mercato, the 23-year-old opened the door to plying his trade in Ligue 1 again.

"We are in Monaco opposite the Louis II stadium, where I scored my first goal in Ligue 1 with my first touch of the ball. In Monaco, there is truly a magnificent setting. Of course AS Monaco is a big club," Denkey said.

"We will see when the time comes, I will listen, but today, I am 200% focused with Cercle Bruges to give the best of myself. We always seek to be in an environment in which we feel wanted with a strong sporting project, as is the case today for me with the Cercle."

Tottenham did not sign a big-name replacement for all-time top scorer Harry Kane last summer, bringing in the youthful Alejo Veliz and Brennan Johnson, the former of whom was loaned out to Sevilla in January.

Richarlison and Son Heung-min are both in double figures for the Premier League season, but the former has now been ruled out for two to three weeks with a knee injury.