Manchester City youngster Jadon Sancho wants to join Tottenham but the club have decided against pursuing a deal for him this month, sources have told ESPN FC.
Sancho, 17, has one year remaining on his scholarship deal at City but has decided to leave the club as he feels his route to the first team is blocked.
The winger, who was named as the Golden Player at the European Under-17 Championship this summer, was born in London and wants to return to the English capital.
Both Tottenham and Arsenal are interested in the teenager and he would like to join Spurs as he feels he will have more chance of playing for their first team soon, the sources said.
Although Sancho is free to sign for another club, he would not be able to play for them before the end of his scholarship deal without City's permission, and sources close to Spurs said they have decided against pursuing him this month, with City unwilling to release the player.
City would be due compensation, set by a tribunal, if Sancho signs elsewhere, and the matter could be resolved in this way in the future.
Sancho, who joined City from Watford in 2015, was surprisingly left out of City's preseason tour of the United States, where they played Tottenham, while highly rated youngsters Phil Foden and Brahim Diaz were both included.
All three have trained with the first team but sources told ESPN FC that it was City boss Pep Guardiola's decision to leave Sancho behind.
However, City have high hopes for Sancho and had been hopeful that he would sign a new deal.
Manchester United, as well as Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig, have also been monitoring Sancho's situation.