Tottenham are reportedly in agreement over their first signing of the summer in the form of Clement Lenglet – but the €20m deal hinges on one factor being agreed before the transfer can be finalised.
The French defender moved on loan from Barcelona last summer, with the initial plan to stay for one season. After a slow start, Lenglet soon settled into his new surroundings and has gone to make 33 appearances in all competitions.
While his deal did not contain an option to make the move permanent, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is eager to make the 27-year-old’s stay long term.
And while he has been a part of a Tottenham side that have largely underperformed this season, Levy sees the chance to make his signing full-time too good an opportunity to miss.
To aid their chances, Lenglet has been told he does not have a future at Barcelona. And he will be one of the first names they are looking to offload as the Spanish giants look to offset some of their huge debt.
To that end, a report last month claimed Spurs were looking to complete a double swoop on Barcelona, with Lenglet the first over the line.
Now their chances of a deal have taken a significant step forward following reports in the Spanish media.
That’s amid claims that the two clubs are closing on an agreement. Per reports in Spain, Barcelona are seeking a fee in the region of €20m (£17.4m). And that is a figure that Levy is ‘willing to meet’.
Lenglet pressing pause on Tottenham transfer
The defender is also very much ‘interested in staying in London’ too.
However, for now Lenglet has reportedly pressed pause on signing off on the arrangement. That’s because the 15-times capped defender wants to see who Tottenham appoint as their next manager. And more crucially, Lenglet wants to know where he will fit into the new manager’s plans.
Indeed, he plans to sit down and listen to the would-be new manager’s thoughts and plans for the future. And, desperate to get back into the Champions League, Lenglet reportedly wants ‘a team with aspirations and a solid project’. To summarise, he will only sign on the dotted line once he’s been convinced of the new manager’s ambitions and where he fits into that project.
As such, while the transfer is all-but agreed between the clubs, Lenglet will keep Spurs waiting for now. But once they have their new manager in place, the club should very quickly know one way or another where Lenglet’s future lies.
Levy, however, appears no nearer to the appointment of that next boss.
The club have broken off talks with Julian Nagelsmann with the former Bayern coach seemingly no longer keen on the vacancy.
And while departing Eintracht Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner remains an option, reports claim Spurs could look closer to home.
Indeed, they are reportedly targeting possible deals for two current Premier League bosses. Per Football Insider, the club are considering an approach for Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui.
And Brentford manager Thomas Frank is also reportedly another option now under consideration.