PL club unwilling to pay €15m demanded by Barcelona for outcast - Reports
Barcelona are struggling to offload Clement Lenglet as Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly not willing to meet their valuation of the Frenchman.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Spurs are reluctant to pay Lenglet's €15 million price tag. The French defender spent last season on loan with the Premier League giants but the deal didn't include a buy option.
Lenglet featured 35 times across competitions, chipping in with three goal contributions and helping the Lilywhites keep eight clean sheets. He has since returned to Barcelona but the Catalan giants are looking to sell this summer.
Tottenham's reluctance stems from their budget which they are keeping in mind given they have already spent €136.3 million this summer. Ange Postecoglou has got to work on rebuilding a stagnating Spurs side but isn't willing to fork out Barca's asking price for Lenglet.
The 28-year-old has three years left on his contract at Camp Nou but is likely unlikely to challenge for a starting berth. He is behind the likes of Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen and Eric Garcia in this regard. The Blaugrana have also lured Inigo Martinez to the club, further jeopardizing Lenglet's future.
Lenglet arrived at Barca in 2018 from Sevilla for €35.9 million. He has made 160 appearances, winning the La Liga title and the Copa del Rey.
Barcelona willing to drop asking price for Franck Kessie
Franck Kessie is another Barcelona player whose future is uncertain following a difficult debut season at Camp Nou. The Ivorian midfielder arrived last summer as a free agent but failed to impress.
Kessie, 26, started just seven of 28 league games, scoring one goal and providing one assist. He was unable to cement a permanent place in Xavi's starting lineup and the Spanish coach isn't convinced he's the right profile for his team.
Hence, Barcelona are willing to offload him just a year removed from his arrival. He has received interest from Serie A giants Juventus and Saudi Arabia.
According to SPORT, the Blaugrana are lowering their asking price for Juve and will accept offers in excess of €15 million. The Catalan giants were demanding €30-35 million when approached by Saudi clubs.
Kessie could join Juve as Paul Pogba's replacement as the Frenchman is garnering interest from the Saudi Pro League. He is reportedly available for just €10 million this summer after a disastrous return to the Old Lady.