Tottenham tipped to use forgotten man in swap deal for Barcelona star Postecoglou wants
Barcelona loanee Clement Lenglet in action for Tottenham
Tottenham could use Giovani Lo Celso in a part-exchange deal for Barcelona centre-back Clement Lenglet this summer, according to reports.
Lo Celso joined Villarreal on loan in January 2022, where he seemed to enjoy his football more than he has in the Premier League.
Overall, the Argentina international made 51 appearances at the Spanish club, scoring three goals and making four assists.
The Argentina international has now reportedly emerged as a target for Barcelona. So, there is a belief that Tottenham could use that to their advantage in their pursuit of Lenglet.
Lenglet joined Tottenham on loan last summer, making 26 Premier League appearances in a turbulent season for the London club.
Now, it seems Ange Postecoglou is keen to acquire his services on a permanent basis. As previously reported by TEAMtalk, Tottenham hold a concrete interest in signing the defender this summer. However, the deal is ‘not progressing’ at this stage.
Indeed, it’s reported that Barcelona want €15m (£12.8m) for Lenglet, but Tottenham do not want to pay more than €10m (£8.5m).
With that in mind, using Lo Celso as a makeweight could be an ideal solution for both clubs.
Barcelona interested in signing Lo Celso
According to Spanish outlet La Vanguardia, Barcelona have ‘identified Lo Celso as a key target’ and want to use Lenglet as part of a deal for him.
Catalans boss Xavi is keen on bolstering his midfield options this summer and has reportedly turned to the Argentine after failing to sign Bernardo Silva from Manchester City.
La Vanguardia add that Lo Celso has been deemed surplus to requirements by Spurs and they are happy to let him leave. The 27-year-old has two years remaining on his contract, and is valued at approximately €14m (£11.9m), as per Transfermarkt.
So, a part-exchange deal using Lenglet would be ideal for Tottenham. It’s no secret that Postecoglou is looking to add several defenders to his squad this summer.
This is no real surprise, considering Spurs conceded 63 goals in the Premier League last season. This was ultimately the key reason for them finishing in a disappointing eighth place in the table.
As it stands, Spurs are in hot pursuit of two centre-backs: Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba and Wolfsburg’s Micky van de Ven.
But, their interest in Lenglet is well publicised. Negotiations currently at a standstill with Barcelona. So, using Lo Celso in the deal could be a savvy move from the London club.
