Tottenham and Barcelona have had fresh contacts to negotiate a move for Clement Lenglet, with personal terms already in place.
According to SPORT, Barcelona and Tottenham have had fresh contacts to figure out a way to transfer Clement Lenglet. Spurs are keen to re-sign the 28-year-old after a decent loan spell. But the financial demands placed by the Catalans could prove excessive.
Barcelona continue to struggle to manage their finances as they must raise significant funds to balance their books. A while ago, they managed to terminate the contracts of a few players, including that 2018 FIFA World Cup winner Samuel Umtiti.
There have been rumblings of a similar outcome with Clement Lenglet’s contract, although Barcelona hope to achieve some money rather than lose him by paying the 28-year-old off. The Frenchman had a decent loan spell with Tottenham in the previous campaign, with the Premier League club keen to re-sign him.
Recent reports stated that Tottenham were ready to wait patiently to sign him on a free transfer if Barcelona terminates his contract. However, alternate stories claim the Catalans are keen to recoup at least €15 million from his sale.
Tottenham have recently hinted they would probably go up to €10 million to sign the 28-year-old, who has 15 international caps for France, as talks continue between the sides. Earlier, Tottenham were keen to wrap up the move for less, with suggestions that they would offer €5 million for the Frenchman.
In truth, €10 million seems reasonable from Spurs’ perspective, as they know Barcelona want to rid the player of their books. Hence, there’s optimism over finding an agreement with the La Liga giants for the defender. Tottenham have reportedly agreed on personal terms with Lenglet over a three-year contract.
With everything seemingly in place, it feels like a matter of time before the two sides can agree. With a sale, even for €10 million, Barcelona will save a lot, especially with Lenglet’s salary. However, in the scenario of contract termination, the club may have to pay the player significantly, which would benefit Tottenham.
For now, talks are expected to continue between the two sides ahead of this week. An agreement is possible as Tottenham eye the 28-year-old’s experience in their squad for the upcoming season. Spurs are also looking at other central defensive options, with Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba and VfL Wolfsburg’s Micky van de Ven some of their targets.
