Tottenham to ‘launch bid’ for €70m Arsenal target as shock ‘swap deal’ with European giants is touted
According to reports, Tottenham Hotspur are ready to ‘launch a bid’ for FC Barcelona winger Raphinha, who is being linked with Arsenal and Newcastle United.
Raphinha previously enjoyed a brilliant spell in the Premier League with Leeds United. He grabbed 17 goals and 12 assists in 67 appearances for the Yorkshire side as he helped save them from relegation in 2021/22.
The Brazil international was the subject of a major transfer saga in the summer of 2022 as clubs around Europe attempted to sign him. Arsenal and Chelsea were in the race to land him before he joined Barcelona in a deal worth around £55m.
The 26-year-old has been in and out of the team over the past 18 months and Barcelona – if reports are to be believed – are already looking to offload him.
Amid interest from Arsenal and Newcastle, it’s being reported that the winger is valued at €70m by Barcelona ahead of the upcoming January transfer window.
According to Football Transfers, Spurs have ‘dropped their desire to sign Ivan Toney’ as they have ‘concrete interest in Raphinha’. The report explains.
‘Barcelona have put a €70 million asking price on the head of the 26-year-old Brazil international and will allow him to leave if a club stumps up that figure.
‘Arsenal and Newcastle have been linked with the player in the past, but after the Catalan side declared an asking price of €100m both were put off.
‘With that figure having dropped, a source close to the Spanish champions has indicated to FootballTransfers that Tottenham are now seeking the possibility of bringing the former Leeds United attacker back to the Premier League 18 months after he departed for LaLiga.
‘Spurs, meanwhile, may not have to foot the whole €70m bill for Raphinha as Barcelona are interested in a potential swap deal with defender Cristian Romero, although the belief is that Xavi’s side would prefer cash in order to ease their financial problems.’
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Ex-Spurs defender Alan Hutton reckons the Premier League outfit need to sign upgrades on Ben Davies, Eric Dier and Giovani Lo Celso.
“I think it’s going to be difficult to challenge for the league. The big thing for me is what they do in the January transfer window,” Hutton told Football London.
“If Ange gets funds to go and reinvest and they recruit well, I think we will be talking about them winning something.”
He added: “As we see at this moment in time, they’ve had to turn to Ben Davies and Eric Dier to replace Van De Ven, and I think it is probably about time to move on from those pair.
“It’s going to be very difficult to fill the void Maddison leaves. I think [Rodrigo] Bentancur will have to step up, a lot of the Tottenham fans are happy that he’s back. But for me, I think the likes of Lo Celso, can he do it? I’m not sure.”
