Tottenham Hotspur are now pushing hard to sign an "unpredictable" midfielder, having submitted an opening offer of £61m.
Spurs looking to strengthen in midfield
Tottenham are looking to strengthen their options in the middle of the park, amid Joao Palhinha receiving criticism for some of his performances this season, with Jamie Carragher left unimpressed by the Portugal international's display against Chelsea.
At one point in the disappointing 1-0 defeat, Palhinha opted to play the ball backwards, rather than into an attacking area, which irritated Carragher, who said: "Now, we’ve spoken about courage, now we can talk about quality. Palhinha hasn’t got the quality.
"For me, for a player playing in central midfield for Tottenham, that is a pass you have to be able to make. He can’t make it, so... he goes back."
Palhinha has remained a key player for Thomas Frank, but Yves Bissouma's career at Spurs could be coming to an end, with the north Londoners deciding to sell the 29-year-old, as a result of an off-field incident.
Consequently, Frank may need to bring in a new midfielder in the near future, and Tottenham are ramping up their pursuit of Atletico Madrid star Pablo Barrios, according to a report from Spain,
Indeed, the Lilywhites are now pushing hard to sign the central midfielder, having submitted an opening offer of €70m (£61m), although it could be difficult to get a deal over the line, given that the Spanish club are unwilling to sanction a departure.
The 22-year-old has a €120m (£105m) release clause included in his contract, and they are not willing to sell him for less, so Spurs may have to increase their offer significantly to get a deal done.
"Unpredictable" Barrios catching the eye in La Liga
Scout Ben Mattinson has given an overview of the Atletico star's key strengths, describing him as an "unpredictable creative passer", whose "weight of pass is top", while also praising his ability to score goals.
Not only that, but the Spaniard is also skilled at winning back possession, averaging 1.38 interceptions per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 86th percentile, when compared to other midfielders.
The four-time Spain international has been a key player for Atletico this season, making 22 appearances across all competitions, and he recently put in an impressive performance against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League, picking up an assist in a 3-2 victory.