Barcelona star ‘prioritises’ Tottenham move with four major signings to complete Postecoglou rebuild

James Marshment 03 Aug 2023 1:45 PM

Micky van de Ven and Clement Lenglet are to sign for Tottenham

Tottenham are motoring towards four more summer signings with a Barcelona star now focusing on a move to the club ahead of a rival offer and ready to join another new boy in Micky van de Ven in north London.

Ange Postecoglou has been given the difficult task of reviving Tottenham’s fortunes this summer following a underwhelming 2022/23 campaign that saw the club finish eighth. But if progress is to be made, the Aussie will need to carefully assemble his squad, while also likely contemplating how best to replace the goals that Harry Kane’s likely exit will leave.

So far this summer, Postecoglou has made five signings to date. Permanent deals for Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski were pushed through, while James Maddison was bought in a £40m deal from Leicester. Spurs have also added livewire Israel winger Manor Soloman to their mix on a free transfer.

However, like any good manager, Postecoglou wants to build his Tottenham side from the back. And he had no hestitation in mercilessly replacing club icon Hugo Lloris in goal. To that end, the £17m spent on Guglielmo Vicario will hopefully prove inspired business.

The former Celtic manager, however, also fully intends to strengthen his defence. Davinson Sanchez and Eric Dier have been identified as weak links and will likely be replaced.

And the first step to strengthening that area is now underway with a deal for Micky van de Ven now agreed. According to Tuttomercato, Tottenham have agreed a mammoth six-year deal for the Wolfsburg star, who is now ‘one step away’ from finalising a switch.

The 22-year-old is now merely awaiting for the two clubs to strike a deal, likely to be in the region of €40m to €45m.

Clement Lenglet also ready to join Tottenham

Van de Ven, however, will be far from the last defender to move to Spurs this summer. Indeed, Thursday’s Euro Paper Talk also revealed Tottenham are planning a fresh €45m approach for Edmond Tapsoba.

And amid claims Bayer Leverkusen could now be ready to sell the Burkina Faso centre-half, optimism is growing that a deal can be done to bring him to the club as an elite defensive upgrade.

Before those two sign, however, Spurs are making rapid progress over a move for Clement Lenglet.

The France defender spent the 2022/23 season on loan at Spurs from Barcelona, with Daniel Levy setting up a permanent €15m transfer.

And while that deal was expected to go through, late interest from Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr looked to have ruined Tottenham’s chances.

However, despite the offer of a far-more lucrative package, Sport reports that Lenglet ‘absolutely prioritises’ a move to Spurs above the Middle East.

The report claims that the deal for Lenglet is likely to be wrapped up in the next few days with the final details sorted when the two sides face one another in a friendly on Tuesday.

Those three signings will complete rejuvenate Tottenham’s defence and hopefully present Postecoglou with a solid foundation on which to build.

And it seems the Aussie will not stop there, either, with a fourth new addition – and summer signing number nine – also closing in. That’s after Fabrizio Romano revealed a deal has also now been agreed to bring Argentine striker Alejo Veliz.

Tottenham Hotspur Barcelona Clement Lenglet Micky van de Ven