Tottenham are ready to wait patiently for the opportunity to sign Clement Lenglet on a bargain deal, with Barcelona under increasing pressure.
According to AS via Sport Witness, Tottenham hopes to sign Clement Lenglet on a free transfer as they hatch a ploy for the defender. Barcelona are not keen on retaining the defender and his enormous salary, which might see them terminate his contract.
Barcelona are in serious financial turmoil and must raise considerable funds to execute their summer transfer plans. They must cull their wage bill and sell some of their prized assets to raise cash to remain on par with La Liga FFP rules.
One player they hoped to save money on was Clement Lenglet, who had a decent loan spell with Tottenham. The Premier League side intended to re-sign the 27-year-old defender in the summer, but now they do not want to pay any considerable transfer fee.
Barcelona had hoped to recoup at least €10 million in transfer fees and save another 16 million in the 27-year-old wages. They had similar players on their squad, including Samuel Umtiti and Sergino Dest. Without notable interest in the French defender, the Catalans terminated Umtiti’s contract.
As per reports, Tottenham did make an offer, but it was only for €5 million. Barcelona will not accept that deal and will hope to hold talks with Spurs over a reasonable price. There were also suggestions for a possible swap deal involving Lenglet and Giovani Lo Celso, but things have been cold.
Now, Tottenham are keen on patiently waiting for Barcelona to terminate Lenglet’s contract and make him a free agent. By doing so, the Catalans will have to pay off the 27-year-old but will still save considerable wages.
Tottenham have reportedly agreed terms with Lenglet if the 27-year-old was to return. However, they might have this patience approach to save considerable fees as they hope to sign the Frenchman on a bargain deal. Barcelona will certainly remain unhappy about the situation, as they will want to value the centre-back to a certain degree.
Tottenham’s plan seems clever, but this could become complex if Barcelona cannot find a suitable termination agreement with Lenglet. In short, Spurs view the centre-back as a quality option for their side but are playing a risky game, hoping to get a free pass at signing him.
