Tottenham midfielder Tanguy Ndombele is reportedly on Barcelona’s transfer radar as they look to bolster their midfield options this summer.
As per BBC Sport, Spurs splashed out a club-record fee of €60m on the 23-year-old last summer, while he has since gone on to make 27 appearances so far this season.
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In those outings, he’s contributed two goals and four assists, while adding more solidity and physicality in the middle of the pitch.
He has come in for criticism in recent weeks though, with Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher backing Jose Mourinho after he publicly slammed the midfield ace after his performance against Burnley.
However, it’s one thing being critical of a player and hoping to spark a positive reaction out of him and another thing potentially losing him altogether.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have reignited their interest in Ndombele after being linked with him last summer, as they hope to bolster their midfield options with more of a box-to-box presence, especially if they possibly lose Arturo Vidal and Ivan Rakitic this summer.
While Mourinho may have been critical of Ndombele, given the money invested in the player and the high expectations involved, Spurs will surely not want to axe him after just one season.
In turn, the potential interest from Barcelona to prise him away from north London could be a concern this summer, as if things haven’t clicked for the French international at Tottenham, he could be tempted by a huge move to the Nou Camp.
Time will tell what happens, as perhaps much will initially depend on if the season can be completed, and if Tottenham miss out on the Champions League.
As per BBC Sport, Mourinho has already stressed his desire to have a more balanced squad next season, and so perhaps selling Ndombele to strengthen elsewhere could be on the cards with Moussa Sissoko, Oliver Skipp, Harry Winks and others available to him in midfield currently.