Tottenham midfielder Tanguy Ndombele is keen to leave the club, and Barcelona could look to pursue some form of player-plus-cash deal, with the Catalan giants willing to include either Philippe Coutinho or Nelson Semedo as part of the move.
Ndombele made the switch to north London last summer, with Tottenham forking out over £50m for his services. But while he has shown flashes of brilliance, he hasn't really been given an extended run in the team.
The midfielder has also come in for criticism from Jose Mourinho, with the boss claiming in March after a draw with Burnley that he should have given 'more to the team'. Since the Premier League got back underway, he has yet to even come off the bench for Spurs.
It was suggested in April that Ndombele was 'ready' to quit Tottenham, with both Barcelona and PSG keen on signing him. The Independent now report that Barça remain keen on his services, but their financial struggles at this moment in time can't be ignored. As a result, while they are keen on bringing him to Camp Nou, they will only be willing to discuss a deal if it involves a player exchange.
The report adds that La Blaugrana are willing to include either Coutinho or Semedo, both of whom have been linked with moves away from the club in recent times, as part of the deal. Spurs will look to stand firm in their valuation of Ndombele (the same amount they paid to Lyon), but Mourinho 'may' decide it is better for the club to part ways and start fresh.
Coutinho is free to leave Barça and his agent has admitted that the playmaker is keen on a return to the Premier League. It has already been suggested that Spurs are willing to offer Ndombele (and/or Toby Alderweireld) as part of the deal, but it wasn't clear at the time whether Barcelona would go for it.
However, while it appears as though Ndombele is keen on departing north London and Barcelona do not wish to keep hold of Coutinho, this remains a very complicated deal with a number of obstacles. Most notably, Barcelona would demand cash on top of Ndombele for Coutinho, an amount Spurs will likely try to negotiate, while there is also the issue of the Brazilian's wages.
Source : 90min