Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing Barcelona defender Alejandro Balde as they seek to solve their lingering issues at left-back.
Spurs have two experienced left-backs in Destiny Udogie and Andy Robertson, while also having a talented youngster, Souza, who is currently on loan at Porto.
However, the issue for Roberto De Zerbi has been that Udogie has been unable to stay fit for any length of time, which has been a consistent issue since his first season at Tottenham.
Some reports have even suggested that Spurs could consider cashing in on Udogie after being left frustrated by his injury issues.
That may be why reports over recent weeks have indicated that the Lilywhites have set their sights on Alejandro Balde, who has been struggling for regular starts at Barca this term.
Boost for Tottenham as Barcelona eye Alejandro Balde replacement
According to previous updates, Balde has asked his agent, Jorge Mendes, to sound out clubs regarding a transfer, with the Premier League deemed the most likely destination for the 23-year-old.
A new report in Sport has now handed the Lilywhites a boost by revealing what Barcelona’s plans are for the left-back area ahead of January.
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The report claims that the Catalan club have already started looking for potential replacements for Balde, who could be on his way out of Camp Nou.
In fact, Hansi Flick’s men are now exploring a move for Man City star Rayan Ait-Nouri, who is seen as a perfect fit for the La Liga club’s system.
The report claims that City are open to letting the former Wolves man leave after he failed to live up to expectations at the Etihad, with the Algerian international’s potential arrival in Catalonia possibly opening the door for Balde’s exit.
Spurs may not be the favourites to land Balde
While it appears that the Spain international is likely to leave Camp Nou sooner rather than later, Tottenham Hotspur are not the only Premier League club who want the player.
According to a previous update from Sport, Manchester United, Liverpool and Aston Villa are all keeping an eye on Balde, who is valued by Barca at around €40m (£33.3m).
Additionally, a recent update from GiveMeSport suggested that Liverpool may have an advantage over Spurs and Balde’s other suitors.
The website claimed that the Reds have a strong existing relationship with Barca, having just recently agreed a deal to sign Ronald Araujo from the Catalan club on loan.
Andoni Iraola’s men could leverage that relationship to move to the front of the queue to sign Balde.