Ambitious Tottenham approach for Barcelona gem uncovered as Deco spies new €25m target

Tottenham Hotspur have emerged as the main suitors for Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez after a report revealed they made an approach in the summer.

It was certainly a summer to remember for Lopez, who was part of the Spanish squads that won Euro 2024 and the men’s Olympic football tournament. And it has now been uncovered that he caught the attention of multiple clubs along the way.

As revealed by Relevo, Tottenham were at the front of the queue for Lopez this summer after making an approach to Barcelona.

However, Lopez’s current club closed the door by pointing to the player’s €400m (£337.8m/$443.3m) release clause, which was obviously never expected to be activated.

And Barcelona are now working on upgrading Lopez’s contract, not only beyond its current expiry date of 2027 but also to adjust his salary more appropriately for a player who made 42 appearances for the first team last season.

Therefore, Tottenham may have missed their chance to sign Lopez, who – as the report explains – is now fully classed as a first-team player by Barcelona and not someone who will drop into the B team if he isn’t selected by head coach Hansi Flick.

The midfielder may find it interesting, then, that it is simultaneously being reported that Barcelona want to reinforce his position.

According to Marca, Barcelona have taken an interest in PSV midfielder Jerdy Schouten, who they could sign for €25m (£21.1m/$27.7m).

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Barcelona transfers: Schouten in sights

Barcelona director Deco is still tasked with finding a new holding midfielder who can fill the void left by Sergio Busquets over a year ago.

In his prime at the age of 27, Schouten has been identified as a possible target. He may be easier for Barcelona to sign than either Bayern’s Joshua Kimmich or Aston Villa new boy Amadou Onana.

Alternatively, Flick could put his faith in another La Masia graduate, Marc Casado, depending on how he develops.

Since Lopez isn’t a sitting midfielder, it shouldn’t seem to affect him too much, but at a club like Barcelona, key areas are always going to have high competition.

Who could Tottenham turn to in midfield?

It remains to be seen if Tottenham will return for Lopez in the future, but with a potential new deal on the table at Barcelona, that appears unlikely.

Re-energising their midfield remains something on their agenda for their long-term plans and it has led to Spurs being linked with other midfield options.

For example, Eberechi Eze of Crystal Palace is still on Tottenham’s radar, although the latest reports have indicated their fear of being outbid by rivals for the England international.

Tottenham have also been one of the many clubs linked with recent England debutant Angel Gomes over the past couple of weeks, with Lille only having him under contract until the end of this season.

Lopez could save Barcelona millions

With Barcelona due to tie Lopez down, they have the opportunity to build up their core of academy graduates flourishing in the first team.

La Masia has produced a plethora of top talents over the years and, while under Financial Fair Play scrutiny, perhaps Barcelona should be maximising them even more.

Lopez enjoyed a breakthrough season last term, during which Casado, Pau Cubarsi, Marc Guiu and Hector Fort also made their LaLiga debuts, not to mention Lamine Yamal becoming a superstar.

After quoting Tottenham such an extortionate fee for Lopez, Barcelona could benefit further if the Andalusian continues to develop within their senior setup.

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