Spurs Muscle In on Arsenal's Hearts Target as Deadline Day Drama Unfolds

The deadline day scramble has taken an intriguing turn, with Tottenham now eyeing the same Hearts prospect that Arsenal had begun pursuing. James Wilson, the 18-year-old Scottish striker, has become the focus of last-minute attention from the north London pair.

Fabrizio Romano first revealed that Arsenal had opened discussions with Hearts over a loan arrangement for Wilson, who has already earned caps for Scotland despite his tender age. The teenager has managed eight goals in 45 senior appearances for the Premiership leaders.

Now Spurs have entered the fray, according to Sky Sports, with both clubs understood to be negotiating an initial loan deal that would include a purchase option. Should the move materialise at Tottenham, Wilson would slot into the club's Under-21 setup rather than the first-team picture.

It's a move that fits with Spurs boss Thomas Frank's stated approach heading into deadline day. Over the weekend, the manager signalled his team's willingness to pounce on available opportunities. "We are active, no doubt about that. If something happens, let's see," Frank said, suggesting Tottenham would be reactive rather than chasing specific targets they'd earmarked earlier.

Wilson has featured sparingly in the league this season, with just one starting appearance to his name. However, he impressed considerably last term, netting six goals for Hearts and notably scoring a dramatic leveller against rivals Hibernian.

Meanwhile, pundit Paul Merson has weighed in on Spurs' wider transfer needs, suggesting the club should move for Raheem Sterling, who became available after Chelsea terminated his contract. With Solanke, Kulusevski, and Maddison all sidelined through injury, Merson reckons bringing in the experienced winger on a free transfer would be straightforward business. "You don't want to start bringing every Tom, Dick and Harry in to try and stay up," he told Sky Sports. "They just need one or two players in and get their players fit."