Barcelona, Tottenham making progress in talks over €5 million deal for defender

Even though reports on Wednesday suggested that Tottenham were having some doubts about a move for FC Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet, a new update from Ferran Correas of SPORT suggests otherwise.

As per the new report, Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur are making progress in talks over the permanent transfer of the Frenchman, with the Catalans hoping to finalise a sale before the end of the month.

Lenglet spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan with Spurs, having fallen out of favour at Barça. The loan agreement did not have a purchase option included in the deal as a result of which, the former Sevilla ace is back on his way to Catalonia.

However, Tottenham remain interested in acquiring his services in the summer. While the Lilywhites would prefer another loan deal, Barcelona are intent on outright selling him and there is progress being made in negotiations, although a final agreement is yet to be reached.

Barcelona hope to finalise his exit before June 30. His departure would save them €16 million in wages next season, helping them register new players. However, the player and Spurs themselves are in no such hurry to complete the transfer.

Lenglet’s high wages are acting as a hindrance in negotiations. While Tottenham are prepared to offer him a five-year contract on his current wages, it would impact their ability to meet Barcelona’s asking price for him. As such, they are offering only €5 million for his services.

It remains to be seen if the La Liga champions are willing to accept such a lowly proposal, but given their priority is to get Lenglet’s massive wages off their payroll, they could be open to a compromise on the transfer fee.