Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly close to finalising the agreement for 28-year-old French defender Clement Lenglet.
According to a report by Spanish outlet SPORT, Clement Lenglet might be a Tottenham Hotspur player by next week. The North London club and Barcelona are working on the deal for the 28-year-old. And the Catalan giants hope to finalise the agreement by next week.
Clement Lenglet has reached a crucial juncture in his career as he looks to find stability. The French international was once among the best centre-backs in the world while being a regular for Les Bleus. But his stock plummeted after a couple of sub-par seasons. And it was hardly surprising that Barcelona decided to loan him out to Tottenham Hotspur last summer.
The 28-year-old turned out 35 times for Tottenham, chipping in with one goal and two assists. Now back in Barcelona, Lenglet’s long-term future is uncertain, with the Blaugrana ready to cash in on him. And Tottenham will look to secure his services in a permanent deal in the ongoing transfer window.
Widespread reports have linked Tottenham with the Frenchman for a long time over a move this summer. But with Barcelona being inconsistent with the quoted price, a deal has not materialised thus far. The latest update has suggested the Catalan giants want around €15 million to part ways with the player.
But Tottenham will not shell out the demanded price to secure Lenglet’s services this summer. Meanwhile, the 28-year-old has an agreement with the North London club over personal terms. So the transfer fee is the only stumbling block for Barcelona to finally get the player off the books.
However, the report by SPORT has suggested that Barcelona and Tottenham are close to finalising the deal for the French international. And the Blaugrana will aim to seal the agreement by next week. What is interesting is the suggestion that the transfer might be in the form of a loan with an obligation clause.
The deal works in Tottenham’s favour, although the mandatory purchase clause does make the arrangement somewhat risky. Meanwhile, Barcelona will finally succeed in getting rid of Lenglet, although the transfer fee will not be at the desired level. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see if a deal sees the light of day soon.