Barcelona are hoping to finalise an agreement with Tottenham next week over a permanent deal for defender Clement Lenglet.
That’s according to Sport, who say a low-cost deal is in the works but likely to be clarified between both clubs next week.
The newspaper explains that Barcelona are working to try and lower their wage bill as soon as possible and are working on several fronts to do so.
They need to get players out of the squad and Lenglet is the first that is likely to leave the Camp Nou as his ‘agreement is close’ and ‘can be unlocked next week’.
Tottenham have ‘already expressed their desire’ for the Frenchman to stay and player has also agreed to the switch as he knows his place at Barcelona has been taken by the arrival of Íñigo Martínez.
Until now the main problem was the transfer figure involved but it now appears Barcelona will step back on that front and accept Tottenham’s offer.
A summit between the two clubs is scheduled for next week to unravel the transfer, which is likely to be a low-cost affair for Tottenham. Barcelona had initially asked for €12m but a deal could be done for half of that amount.
The key is that Barca would save around €18m a year in wages and potentially even more than €30m down the line, a significant saving in their efforts to lower the wage bill at the club.
Tottenham are ‘very satisfied’ with what they’ve seen from Lenglet during his loan deal this summer and will offer the defender a long-term contract that ensures he does not lose out in terms of what he earned at the Camp Nou.
