Barcelona will soon advance the negotiations with Tottenham Hotspur for 28-year-old French defender Clement Lenglet.
According to a report by Spanish outlet SPORT, Clement Lenglet remains in a spot of bother over his long-term future. The 28-year-old has yet to finalise his employers for the 2023/24 season. But Barcelona will look to accelerate the talks with Tottenham over a deal for the out-of-favour centre-back.
Clement Lenglet has suffered a remarkable fall from grace since the initial high of being the first-choice centre-back for Barcelona. The French international had not taken long to become a regular for the Blaugrana. But his stock has degraded in the last few seasons. So it was hardly surprising that Barcelona loaned him out to Tottenham last summer.
The 28-year-old turned out 35 times for Tottenham this past season, chipping in with one goal and two assists. But Lenglet’s future is uncertain after he returned to Barcelona following the end of his loan spell. That is because the Catalan giants are keen on getting him off their books as soon as possible.
Tottenham and Barcelona have been discussing a summer move for the former Sevilla defender for a long time. But the two clubs have been unable to seal the agreement over a deal due to the difference in their respective valuations. Meanwhile, personal terms should not be an issue for the North London club.
With Ben Davies on the wrong side of 30 and a few other defenders facing uncertain futures at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Premier League heavyweights need to invest in multiple centre-backs. So while they are pursuing Micky van de Ven and Edmond Tapsoba, Lenglet is also a viable target.
Barcelona and Tottenham recently re-established contacts to discuss Lenglet’s deal. And the Catalan giants are keen on accelerating the discussions to seal an agreement. However, they will have to peter their expectations over the transfer fee to finalise the transfer with Tottenham.
The agreement between Barcelona and Tottenham might not be too far, considering the discussions have been ongoing for a long time. But with the price point proving to be a hindrance, it will be interesting to see if the two clubs can compromise on the final valuation.