The UK work permit of United States international and Seattle Sounders right-back DeAndre Yedlin is in the process of being finalised, multiple sources told ESPN FC on Monday.
The permit would open the door for Yedlin's move to Tottenham Hotspur in January, according to sources.
Spurs, however, would neither confirm or deny a transfer, telling ESPN FC that they would only announce news through official channels and confirming that Yedlin's work permit was underway whether he was to move in January or not.
A source in Seattle, however, said Spurs expect to make an announcement in the next 10 days.
Yedlin, 21, signed a 4-year deal with Tottenham back in August but it was agreed at the time that he would remain with the Sounders on loan at least through the end of the Major League Soccer season in December.
Tottenham said at that time that he would join the London club ahead of the 2015-16 season.
The speedy right-back turned heads at the World Cup by coming on as a substitute in three games for the U.S. He helped neutralize Cristiano Ronaldo in the Americans' 2-2 draw with Portugal, and played nearly 90 minutes in their round-of-16 defeat to Belgium.
Spurs agreed this past August to pay a $4 million transfer fee, 75 percent of which was to go to the Sounders because of Yedlin's status of a homegrown player.
ESPN FC's Kevin Palmer, Doug McIntyre and Jeff Carlisle contributed to this report.