Tottenham Hotspur will hold talks with Barcelona officials on Tuesday in an attempt to finally bring the Clement Lenglet transfer saga to a conclusion, according to reports.
Lenglet was on loan at Tottenham from Barcelona last season, but there has been some uncertainty as to whether he will return or not. Discussions are due tomorrow (Tuesday) to finally arrive at a decision, though.
Tottenham are due to face Barcelona on Tuesday night in a friendly for the Joan Gamper Trophy. Off the pitch, it has presented them with an ideal opportunity to carry out direct negotiations for Lenglet.
According to sources such as Mundo Deportivo and Diario Sport, Barcelona and Tottenham will not waste their opportunity to discuss the Lenglet deal.
Mundo Deportivo believes a solution will emerge from the Tuesday meeting, while Sport has provided more details of what the next bit of business between the two clubs could look like.
Their report claims Tottenham could sign Lenglet on a permanent basis for a fee of just €5m (£4.3m). However, add-ons could treble the value of their investment to €15m (£12.9m).
Furthermore, Spurs will have to work out how to accommodate Lenglet’s salary if he stays on earnings of €8.3m per year, which comes out at around £138,000 per week.
But things seem to be heading in the right direction for Lenglet’s desired return to Tottenham, despite recent rumours of him being targeted by other suitors.
Lenglet to retain place in evolving Tottenham defence
There will be competition for his place once Tottenham announce the signing of Micky van de Ven, who is another left-footed centre-back. But Lenglet’s experience could enable him to retain a useful role in the squad.
Of Tottenham’s other centre-backs, there are doubts about the futures of Davinson Sanchez, Japhet Tanganga and Joe Rodon. They have recently invested in another long-term prospect in the shape of Ashley Phillips as well as the department continues to evolve.
Tottenham had one of the worst defensive records outside the relegation zone in last season’s Premier League, so will be hoping for some improvements this time around.
If Lenglet returns, he will be able to add to his 35 appearances for the club, 26 of which came in the Premier League.
It was his first taste of English football after previous spells with Nancy, Sevilla and Barcelona. He could now finally end his association with the latter, whom he made 160 competitive appearances for before his initial Spurs loan.
Lenglet’s contract at Barcelona is still due to last until 2026, but Tottenham could be about to buy him out of it if their talks on Tuesday go smoothly.