Tottenham threat emerges as Liverpool plan ‘significant investment’ in two-time league winner

Tottenham Hotspur are keen on signing a Barcelona star that Liverpool are already planning to bid for as a potential replacement for Ibrahima Konate, according to a Spanish report, as TEAMtalk analyses why Real Madrid’s interest in him has to be taken with a pinch of salt.

After winning the Europa League last season and appointing Thomas Frank as their manager, Tottenham were hugely active in the summer transfer window. Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons, Joao Palhinha and Randal Kolo Muani were four of the major signings that Daniel Levy made for Tottenham before stepping down as the north London club’s chairman.

Like all other major clubs, Tottenham are always on the hunt for new players and are attentive to the market.

Barcelona central defender Ronald Araujo was on Tottenham’s radar in the summer transfer window, and the Uruguay international is still said to be a player that the Premier league club are keen on.

Journalist Sebastien Vidal reported in August that Tottenham were set to approach Barcelona for Araujo, who won LaLiga with Barcelona in 2023 and 2025.

There was no follow-up to that report at the time, but Fichajes has now reported that Tottenham are ‘closely monitoring’ Araujo.

Liverpool are ‘willing to offer €50million (£43.3m, $59m) ’ for Araujo in January, with manager Arne Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes planning ‘a significant investment’ on the Barcelona defender.

The defending Premier League champions are looking for a defender as a replacement for Ibrahima Konate, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

TEAMtalk understands that Marc Guehi remains Liverpool’s main centre-back target, but Araujo is reportedly an alternative for the Merseyside club.

Araujo had injury issues for Barcelona last season and scored two goals and gave two assists in 25 appearances.

So far this campaign, the defender, who can operate as a centre-back or right-back, has played twice in LaLiga.

DON’T MISS ➡️ Ranking Mourinho’s first signing at each club from best to worst: Real Madrid superstar to Tottenham stinker

Real Madrid linked with shock Ronald Araujo move

According to Fichajes, Chelsea showed interest in Araujo in the summer transfer window following the injury to Levi Colwill.

Sources have told TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Dean Jones, that Chelsea could delve into the market in January for a new centre-back.

Fichajes, which is not one of the most reliable news outlets, has further added that Real Madrid are ‘on the scene’ for Araujo.

It has been well-documened that Los Blancos are keen on signing new centre-backs, with Konate and Arsenal star William Saliba on Madrid’s radar.

Defensa Central, a Real Madrid-centric news outlet, reported in July that Barcelona were ‘fearful’ of a move from Madrid for Araujo.

Los Blancos did not make a bid for the Barcelona star, and it is unlikely that they will do so anytime soon.

It would be a hugely controversial transfer, one that Barcelona are unlikely to sanction.

Moreover, it is not common for players to leave Barcelona for Madrid directly.

The last five players to move from Barcelona to Real Madrid

By Samuel Bannister

Javier Saviola (2007): The most recent player to move from Barcelona to Real Madrid (or vice versa), Saviola moved on a free transfer in the summer of 2007. The Argentine attacker had scored 70 goals for Barcelona, but he only managed five for Madrid, where he was rarely a regular starter and left after two years.

Luis Figo (2000): The most high-profile example of a player switching between these two clubs, Figo became the most expensive player in history when Madrid activated his €62m buyout clause to lure him from Barcelona in one of football’s most controversial transfers. The Portuguese star won the Ballon d’Or later that year, and infamously, a couple of years later, a pig’s head would be thrown at him at Camp Nou. The time he spent at either club was about equal; over five seasons each, he got 45 goals from 249 games for Barcelona and 58 goals from 245 games for Madrid.

Michael Laudrup (1994): Laudrup was 30 when Madrid bought him from Barcelona in a €9.6m move. His five years at Barcelona had included 55 goals, but he only stayed at Madrid for two years, in which he scored 15 times. But the move did allow him to win LaLiga for a fifth consecutive time in the 1994-95 campaign after ending his Barcelona spell with four in a row.

Luis Milla (1990): Not since the 1960s had a Spanish player moved from Barcelona to Real Madrid until Milla did in 1990 – and none have since him either. A product of the former’s academy, he actually ended up playing more for Madrid. A defensive midfielder, he earned more than 200 appearances for his new club and won La Liga twice after his move, which came on the back of a contract dispute with Johan Cruyff.

Bernd Schuster (1988): Barcelona brought Schuster to La Liga in 1980 and he went on to complete eight seasons with the club. The German midfielder then joined Madrid for a two-year stint, sandwiched in between a spell at their next biggest rivals, since he joined Atletico Madrid afterwards. Schuster later returned to Real Madrid as their head coach to win La Liga in the 2007-08 season.

Latest Tottenham news: Forward boost, Barcelona raid

Tottenham are planning to raid a LaLiga club in the January transfer window for one of their best players.

Thomas Frank could get his Tottenham transfer wish fulfilled in January, as a major target’s manager refuses to re-integrate him back into his squad.

The door has opened for Tottenham to raid Barcelona in the middle of the season for a top playmaker.

POLL: Where will Tottenham finish in the Prem in Thomas Frank’s first season in charge?