Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly rekindled their pursuit of Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet over a move in January.
According to reputed Spanish journalist Gerard Romero, Clement Lenglet has popped up on the radar of Tottenham Hotspur over a move in the January transfer window. The north Londoners were rebuffed by the Barcelona defender this past summer as he did not want to go to England at the time.
Clement Lenglet joined Barcelona from Sevilla in July 2018 and has since endured a topsy-turvy ride at Camp Nou. While the Frenchman enjoyed a solid debut campaign with the Blaugrana and even established a foothold in the French national side, his stock has been on the wane in the last year.
The 26-year-old is now a backup option for Barcelona, and in the ongoing campaign, he has started only eight of the 18 games played by the club, chipping in with one assist in the process. However, Lenglet’s decline in stature has not detracted prospective suitors, with Tottenham Hotspur among the clubs keen on signing him in the January transfer window.
The Premier League heavyweights hold a long-standing interest in Lenglet, having attempted to sign him in the summer transfer window. However, the French international rejected Tottenham and stayed put at Barcelona as he did not want to move to England.
The continued interest in the 26-year-old makes sense, as the defensive unit has been the Achilles heel for Tottenham for a long time. Since the departures of Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld, Spurs have had a soft underbelly due to the frailties of their backline, with Eric Dier and Davinson Sanchez blowing hot and cold.
With Cristian Romero sidelined for the foreseeable future due to a hamstring injury, the need to sign a centre-back in the January transfer window has been accentuated for Tottenham. To that end, the north Londoners have been heavily linked with several central defenders, including Jules Kounde, with Lenglet also a viable target.
However, it is unclear if the Frenchman’s stance over moving to England has changed. If he wishes to remain in Spain, a return to Sevilla could be on the cards, with Barcelona ready to cash in on him. But it remains to be seen if Tottenham can convince the 26-year-old to swap Barcelona for London in January.
