Premier League club looking to hijack Barcelona’s bid to sign midfielder before transfer deadline: Reports
According to Matt Law of The Daily Telegraph, Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Barcelona target Lucas Bergvall before La Blaugrana can strike a deal.
17-year-old midfielder Bergvall, who plays for Swedish side Djurgårdens IF, is considered one of Europe's hottest prospects. The youngster has had his heart set on a move to the Camp Nou, but their financial troubles mean other teams could look to swoop in.
A fee of €15 million is believed to be enough to reach an agreement for the player. Fabrizio Romano reported that Bergvall had already arrived in Catalunya for his medicals, but a deal is yet to be finalised.
Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge confirmed the links to Spurs, saying (via GiveMeSport):
"The latest is that Spurs are interested. They are aware that Barcelona have been interested for a while, but I think Spurs realise that this is a player that is being watched by all the top teams."
"Spurs have declared their interest, as we've found out, over the last few days. There might be something on that over the next couple of days. That is one who would perhaps be looking towards the academy, but he is clearly extremely highly rated considering the calibre of clubs that have been watching him for a while."
Bergvall joined Djurgårdens IF in December 2022 and has made 29 appearances for the side, scoring three goals and providing one assist. He made his debut for the Swedish national team earlier this month.
Xavi opens up on life as Barcelona manager ahead of departure
Barcelona manager Xavi claimed being manager of the Catalan giants is a cruel and unpleasant job. Speaking ahead of the side's clash against Osasuna, the Spaniard stated that it was hard to enjoy the position. He said (via press conference):
"It is a cruel and unpleasant job. It makes you feel worthless on a daily basis. Pep [Guardiola] had already told me; I saw Luis Enrique suffer."
"We have a problem in terms of the level of demand. You don't enjoy it. You're playing for your life all the time. It's cruel. The job we have done has not been sufficiently valued. We arrived in 2021 at one of the most difficult moments in the club's history."
Following a 5-3 loss to Villarreal where La Blaugrana crumbled late in the game by conceding three goals in the last 10 minutes, Xavi announced his intention to step down at the end of the season.
The 44-year-old led Barcelona to the La Liga title last season, finishing 10 points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid. However, they have struggled this season, finding themselves eight points off Girona at the top.