Barcelona have seen their loan enquiry for Tottenham's Ryan Sessegnon turned down by manager Jose Mourinho.
Sessegnon joined Spurs from Fulham in a £25m deal last summer but struggled for any sort of game time following Mourinho's arrival in November, having missed the start of last season with a hamstring issue.
The 20-year-old didn't play a single minute of football following the Premier League's resumption in June.
Thus, his lack of opportunities last time out meant it was perfectly feasible for some to assume Sessegnon would be sent out on loan - like Troy Parrott and Oliver Skipp already have - for the upcoming campaign.
But, The Athletic understands Mourinho is keen to keep the Englishman in N17 this season, rejecting a loan approach from Barcelona. A whole host of clubs, including Ajax, Milan, Bayer Leverkusen, Brighton and Hove Albion, Newcastle United and Celtic, are also understood to be interested in signing Sessegnon on a temporary deal this summer.
It's expected that the former Fulham man will be handed more minutes this time around, though. In Saturday's pre-season friendly against Ipswich Town at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Sessegnon started the contest and scored the game's opener with a well-taken right-footed effort from the edge of the area.
With Danny Rose expected to depart and 18-year-old Dennis Cirkin yet to be exposed to senior football, Sessegnon is currently Mourinho's number two option at left-back, behind Ben Davies.
⚽ @RyanSessegnon scores the first goal of pre-season! #THFC ⚪️ #COYS pic.twitter.com/YuLc9mfisM
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 22, 2020
Despite arriving from Fulham as a winger, Mourinho sees the Englishman's future in a more defensive role. In his nine starts last season, we saw the 20-year-old line-up as a winger, wing-back and full-back.
It's understood that the club are putting Sessegnon on a strength and conditioning programme aimed at helping him bulk up and be 'better equipped for the rigours of the Premier League'. Mourinho is also trying to enhance the 'tactical side of his game' as he attempts to help Sessegnon evolve into an attacking left-back.
Source : 90min