According to Lyall Thomas of Sky Sports, French international and Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet is close to joining Tottenham Hotspur on loan.
The French defender is surplus to requirements at the Camp Nou, with Antonio Conte focused on signing Lenglet as soon as possible. Fabrizio Romano has reported that both clubs are nearing an agreement for the French international.
#Tottenham are in talks over a loan deal for #Barcelona’s Clement Lenglet. #Spurs his most likely destination as it stands but #thfc still working on other LCB targets simultaneously including Pau Torres. More on #SSN and here: https://t.co/OzHTtF6aQx #FCB pic.twitter.com/d5sg3n6Fxk
— Lyall Thomas (@SkySportsLyall) June 29, 2022
Clement Lenglet: French Defender Set to Join Tottenham Hotspur on Loan
Lenglet to Bolster Tottenham Hotspur Squad
With Champions League football on the horizon at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the club are focused on adding to the strength in depth of Conte’s squad to cope with the increased games.
The 27-year-old is contracted at Camp Nou until 2026 but has fallen out of favour with Xavi. The Barcelona manager wants the Frenchman to leave to balance the books. Despite the Catalan giants being willing to part with the central defender, they face competition from Roma to sign the centre-back on loan. The departure of Lenglet would help the Barcelona hierarchy meet financial fair play demands.
Despite the interest from Italy, Tottenham hold the advantage with Champions League football on offer. Lenglet has yet to decide his next move, but Conte has identified the French defender as a priority.
Xavi is looking to rebuild the defence at the Camp Nou, and base it around ex-Chelsea player Andreas Christensen and Ronald Araujo, making the Frenchman expendable.
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Despite the move to Barcelona not working out, Lenglet is still a defender that has plenty to offer. He’s not afraid to put his body on the line, whether that’s to block shots, get his head on crosses or make those last-ditch tackles making his style of play perfect for the Premier League.
He is comfortable on the ball, and his passing would be a vital tool for Tottenham Hotspur. Lenglet is not blessed with great acceleration, but his tackling is superb so it will be vital for Conte to pair him with the right centre-back partner.
