Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur might fall behind Villarreal in the race to secure the services of 26-year-old Rayo Vallecano full-back Andrei Ratiu this summer.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Andrei Ratiu is the subject of interest from Villarreal. They have the advantage in the race to secure the services of the Rayo Vallecano full-back, as they retain 50 per cent of his rights and can sign him for €12.5 million. Meanwhile, other suitors like Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur must cough up €25 million to land the Romanian international in the summer transfer window.
Andrei Ratiu and his journey with Rayo Vallecano
Andrei Ratiu has established himself as one of the best right-backs in La Liga since joining Rayo Vallecano from SD Huesca in August 2023. A native of Aid, he spent his formative years in Spain, passing through the academies at Aguaviva CF and Andorra CF before graduating from the youth division at Villarreal CF.
However, the 26-year-old could not establish a foothold in the first-team squad at Estadio de la Ceramica, instead rising in prominence during his stint with Rayo Vallecano thus far. Ratiu has turned out nearly 50 times thus far for the Spanish club while chipping in with three goals and three assists. Meanwhile, the player’s progress has not gone unnoticed, alerting well-known clubs like Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur, and Villarreal.
A man in demand
The Romanian international has been on Barcelona’s radar for a long time. While Jules Kounde has been exceptional as a right-back for the Blaugrana, Hansi Flick wants another option for the position. So, the Rayo Vallecano full-back has emerged as a viable target for Barcelona.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur’s interest in Andrei Ratiu is understandable. While Pedro Porro has been excellent since arriving from Sporting CP, Djed Spence faces an uncertain future at the North London club. So, Ratiu is an option worth considering for Tottenham Hotspur.
However, Barcelona and Tottenham might fall behind Villarreal in the race to secure Ratiu’s services as they retain 50 per cent of his rights. So, instead of coughing up €25 million to land the Rayo Vallecano full-back, the Yellow Submarine can sign him for only €12.5 million.
However, any suitor can beat the competition by triggering the release clause in Ratiu’s contract. So, it will be interesting to see if Barcelona and Tottenham can overcome Villarreal and others in the race to secure the 26-year-old Romanian international’s services.
