Juventus are set to battle it out with Barcelona for in-form 27-year-old Tottenham Hotspur playmaker Giovani Lo Celso in the January transfer market.
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Juventus and Barcelona are planning a winter swoop to land Argentine midfielder Giovani Lo Celso, who is not a part of Ange Postecoglou’s long-term plans at Tottenham Hotspur despite starring for Spurs in recent weeks.
Lo Celso’s performance was once again a highlight as Tottenham Hotspur battled to a spirited 3-3 draw against Manchester City over the weekend. Ironically, Lo Celso is a player who would arguably have been nowhere near the starting lineup today had it not been for injuries to James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Pape Sarr.
The Argentine, who has failed to establish himself at Spurs since his £55 million switch from Real Betis in 2019, returned to North London this summer after two years away in Spain on loan at Villarreal, and seemingly did enough to retain his place in Postecoglou’s squad for the season.
The 27-year-old struggled for minutes in the early parts of the campaign but has taken his chances of late and appears to be carving out quite the redemption at Spurs. Following on from a fine goal against Aston Villa last weekend, he scored a stunner yet again this weekend to help Spurs to a share of the spoils at the Etihad.
The Argentina international will continue to play a more prominent role as Postecoglou attempt to replace the injured James Maddison. However, he could be deemed surplus to requirements by the end of the month should Maddison and Bentancur return from their respective injuries in time.
Just over 18 months left on Lo Celso’s contract means January may be the ideal window for Spurs to rake in a sizable transfer fee. Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez is a keen admirer of the Argentine and has made him his primary transfer target in the January window after losing midfielder Gavi to a long-term injury.
And while La Liga giants are linked with his signature, they also face competition from another European powerhouse. Fichajes are reporting that Juventus will rival the Blaugrana to sign Lo Celso amid their midfield crisis.
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba is provisionally suspended after a positive drug test, and Nicolo Fagioli was given a seven-month ban a fortnight ago for breaching betting regulations.
As Massimiliano Allegri won’t want to be left short of options in midfield amidst a Scudetto charge, Juve have already started to put together a shortlist of potential reinforcements, and Lo Celso fits the bill.
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Although the Tottenham midfielder would be flattered by interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, it won’t be a surprise if Spurs block bids from the suitors for Lo Celso should he maintain his rich vein of form and Maddison’s injury troubles persist.
