Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly vying to sign Spanish midfielder Carlos Soler, who could leave Valencia at the end of the season.
According to Fichajes, Valencia could be primed to lose two of their important players in the form of Goncalo Guedes and Carlos Soler in the summer transfer window. While the former has emerged as a target for Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma, the latter is on the radars of Barcelona and Tottenham over a potential move in the upcoming window.
Soler is a product of the Valencia youth setup and has grown into one of the most important players in the Los Che setup in recent years. The 25-year-old made his first-team breakthrough in late 2016 and has been a mainstay ever since, making 213 appearances in which he has 33 goals and 31 assists.
Soler has been particularly impressive over the past couple of seasons, during which he has added goals to his game. The Spanish international has netted ten times and set up five more in 28 matches in the ongoing campaign, making top clubs in Europe, including Barcelona and Tottenham, sit up and take notice.
Barcelona have been long-term admirers of Soler for a long time and have been keeping tabs on the midfielder since he broke into the senior setup at the Mestalla. However, they have been unable to land the 25-year-old due to finances, but that could change this summer as Soler will be entering the final year of his contract in the summer.
However, Barcelona’s interest in the Valencia star comes as a surprise, considering they already have a well-rounded midfield unit. Indeed, the Catalans have Frenkie de Jong, Sergio Busquets and Pedri as regular starters, with youngsters Nico Gonzalez and Gavi acting as a cover. In addition, there is also Riqui Puig, although the La Masia graduate could be on his way out in the summer.
Even then, Barcelona will be bringing in a new midfielder, having agreed to sign AC Milan star Franck Kessie on a free transfer. So, a move for Soler might not be the most prudent at the time, especially with other key areas of the roster needing strengthening.
As for Tottenham, Soler is a player that has been on their agenda for a while. With the likes of Giovani Lo Celso, Tanguy Ndombele expected to leave permanently in the summer, the Lilywhites could use a midfielder like the Valencia star, who can provide progression from the middle of the park along with crucial goals.
A player like Soler could be a good option to add some variety and balance to the Tottenham Hotspur midfield department consisting of Rodrigo Bentancur, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Oliver Skipp and Harry Winks, who are not exactly known for their attacking prowess.
Apart from Tottenham and Barcelona, Juventus too are interested in signing Soler, whose market value stands at €50 million. However, the 25-year-old could be available for a lesser price given his contract situation. So, it remains to be seen if any interested parties make a move to sign the Spaniard in the summer.