According to a report from Express, Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet. It is understood that the Spurs have agreed on personal terms with the centre-back, and they are reportedly finalising the details with the Catalan giants for a loan move ahead of the next season.
Lenglet’s Campaign With Barcelona Last Season
Lenglet had a solid presence in Xavi’s squad in the first half of the previous campaign but soon fell out of favour after going out of form. He featured in just 26 matches for the Catalan club last season, securing one assist across all fronts.
The Frenchman made the most of his appearances after producing some solid displays as a substitute on the defensive end of the field. Despite the lack of game-time he managed to average 1.0 tackles, 0.6 interceptions and 0.9 clearances per game in La Liga. Furthermore, he was exceptional with his ball distribution, completing 91% of his attempted passes in the top tier of Spanish football (stats via whoscored).
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Good Move From Antonio Conte In Bringing Him To Tottenham Hotspur?
Clement Lenglet is a decent tackler of the ball and doesn’t mind putting his foot into a tackle. He can be a solid presence at the backline if he’s playing regularly with a little more confidence.
The French talent can clear his lines as he senses danger from the opposition and excels at distributing the ball from the back. Conte could make use of a player with such calibre as his services are not required in Barcelona after having fallen down the pecking order.
A loan move would rejuvenate his career and the French international could be back in form playing in the English first division. The 27-year-old has a lot of room for improvement and he can get better with each season.
Tottenham Hotspur have been busy in the transfer market having signed six players already and Conte has done well to close in on him before the start of the next campaign. This deal proves to be a solution to their centre-back situation while the Lilywhites are yet to finish with their transfer business, so we might see a few more faces to solve other problem areas in addition to the French sensation.
