Assou-Ekotto off to Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur FC are to sign defenders Benoît Assou-Ekotto from fellow UEFA Cup hopefuls RC Lens and Dorian Dervitte from LOSC Lille Métropole and have allowed young full-back Stephen Kelly to leave.

Highly rated
The 22-year-old Assou-Ekotto, who has yet to pass a medical at White Hart Lane, enjoyed a terrific season with Lens in Ligue 1 last season, playing 34 of 38 games as they finished fourth to earn another crack at the UEFA Cup, a competition in which Assou-Ekotto played seven times in the 2005/06 campaign. Tottenham will also play in the UEFA Cup next season after finishing fifth in the Premiership. The terms of the deal have yet to be disclosed.

'Flexibility'
Tottenham sporting director Damien Comolli said: "Benoît is a young, extremely talented left-back. He's versatile and can play in three positions – left-back, on the left side of central midfield and left midfield. He will give [manager] Martin Jol lots of flexibility on that flank. He's regarded as one of the best prospects in French football and is an excellent signing for the club."

'Enormous potential'