West Ham star Michail Antonio has revealed his mother stopped him from joining Tottenham Hotspur, while reported summer transfer target Moussa Dembele is being heavily scouted after a string of great showings for Celtic.
Speaking to Goal, Antonio revealed he almost joined Spurs academy as a youngster, but his mother said he couldn't as she feared the time he'd spend travelling to north London would interfere with his school work.
The 26-year-old said the decision left him in tears, but in hindsight, it only helped his development:
When my mum didn’t let me join Tottenham, it kind of gave me a confidence that I had the ability to do it but then again, it kind of upset me massively.