Spurs could sign Barcelona star for £40m, Sherwood said he's "phenomenal"

Spurs could sign Barcelona star for £40m, Sherwood said he’s “phenomenal”

Tottenham could reportedly sign a Barcelona star for £40 million in 2024 as manager Ange Postecoglou and director Johan Lange make transfer plans.

Spurs squad depth poses serious Postecoglou problem

Spurs are very short in a few key areas, as highlighted by the plethora of injury problems which have swept their squad lately. Both playmaker James Maddison and centre-back Micky van de Ven are sidelined, with the duo not set to return until 2024. The latter star’s absence means Postecoglou currently possesses few defensive options amid Cristian Romero’s suspension as well, so Spurs are in the market for a new left-sided centre-back to cover him.

It is widely believed Tottenham could re-attempt to sign Lloyd Kelly from Bournemouth after seeing summer deadline day bids rejected, but a new defender isn’t the only item on Postecoglou’s agenda.

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He’s got a good goalscoring record as well.

The Australian is apparently keen on signing another wide attacker, especially after injuries to Richarlison, Ivan Perisic and Manor Solomon. Bryan Gil, Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski are currently Spurs’ only options out wide after Son Heung-min was moved to a more central striker role, so Juventus winger Samuel Iling-Junior is of interest to Tottenham among others.

Raphinha is another player to be mentioned as a transfer target, with Football Insider now sharing a pretty promising update on the matter.

Spurs could sign Raphinha for £40 million

According to the outlet, and journalist Pete O’Rourke, Barcelona could sell Raphinha to Spurs for as little as £40 million next summer. Xavi’s side could accept a cut-price fee for the Tottenham target after making him available for sale next year, coming as the La Liga champions look to raise funds for their own signings.

They want to sign both Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix on permanent deals, but need to sell first and make sure they have enough cash for such a venture. Selling Raphinha for £40m could help in this regard, and Barcelona’s surplus could be Tottenham’s gain.

Raphinha praised by Sherwood and Kenny

The Brazilian was a star at Leeds before his move to the Camp Nou, with ex-Spurs boss Tim Sherwood calling him “phenomenal”. He said:

“I can’t take my eyes off him. He controls the game. What a phenomenal player. His touch for the goal was outstanding. He tucks that away lovely. What a fine player for Leeds.”

The 26-year-old’s “unbelievable” form at Leeds was also noticed by pundit Paddy Kenny, who once urged Liverpool to make a move.

“He would be a great signing for Liverpool,” Kenny told Football Insider.

“He has shown the world what he can do over the last 12 months or so. If a time comes when Liverpool are preparing for life without Salah, he’s the one to go for. He has that quality and he’s proven he can hack it in the Premier League.

“He has been unbelievable for Leeds and they have really missed him when he’s been injured. I’m sure he would be open to that move as well. Listen, you don’t turn down Liverpool at the moment. Playing under Klopp at Anfield is a big opportunity to turn down.

“I hope he stays at Leeds for a bit longer but if Liverpool come knocking he will be off.”