“The game goes very fast and is more physical” - Former coach urges 27-year-old Barcelona star to snub Premier League move
Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet's U-21 coach Pierre Mankowski has advised him to snub the opportunity to move to the Premier League. He feels that Ligue 1 will be more suited to his attributes compared to the physical and pacy English top flight.
Lenglet is currently being linked with a departure from Camp Nou by a Mundo Deportivo report, with Marseille and Tottenham Hotspur rumored to be monitoring his situation.
The 27-year-old played a bit-part role in the Blaugrana last season, falling behind the likes of Gerard Pique, Ronald Araujo, and Eric Garcia in the pecking order. The defender played 27 games across all competitions during the term, featuring just 11 starts.
Happy birthday, @clement_lenglet! 🥳
🎂 Happy birthday, @clement_lenglet! 🥳 https://t.co/TvkPUvWSE5
As it stands, it doesn't look like new Blaugrana coach Xavi Hernandez considers the Frenchman to be an integral member of his project at Camp Nou.
On that note, Mankowski has made a bold claim that the defender won't hesitate to leave if he he finds the door shut on him in the Catalan capital. He was quoted as saying by Le Parisien (via Barca Blaugranes):
“He is a very thoughtful and serene boy. He always analyzes situations very well. If he realizes that the door is closed at FC Barcelona, he will not hesitate to change to go to a lower category club, where he will settle more as a starter and he will regain his confidence in himself."
While discussing Lenglet's potential destinations, Mankowski urged the defender to snub interest from the the Premier League and seal a return to Ligue 1. According to him, the French top flight would suit the player more:
“He would be good in Ligue 1. In England the game goes very fast and is more physical. The game of the French championship corresponds more to his style.”
The Frenchman was a youth academy graduate and Ligue 2 club Nancy, who were promoted to Ligue 1 in the 2016-17 season. He joined Sevilla in January 2017 where he played just one full season before joining Barcelona for €35.9 million in 2018. The 27-year-old has made 160 appearances across competitions for the Blaugrana, scoring seven goals and giving three assists.
Which Premier League clubs could sign Clement Lenget from Barcelona?
A number of Premier League clubs are looking at the possibility of prising the defender away from Camp Nou. According to Fichajes.net, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur are leading the race to sign the defender.
The Merseysiders need to strengthen their defense after narrowly avoiding relegation last season, conceding a mammoth 66 goals. Antonio Conte would welcome Lenglet as part of a rotating back three which could potentially help seal the Champions League spot next season.
Lenglet's future at Barcelona has been the subject of intense speculation. The Frenchman could end up following in the footsteps of former Blaugrana players like Lucas Digne and Yerry Mina in leaving the club for the Premier League.