According to reports from Sport, exit-bound Barcelona defender Marc Bartra would prefer to join Tottenham Hotspur over Manchester United during the summer transfer window.
The Nou Camp outfit reportedly rate the Spain international as ‘one of the best defenders in Europe if at his best’, but he’s just not progressed as expected since his 2010 debut, going on to register just 100 appearances across all competitions.
A summer transfer now seems inevitable. The 25-year-old has been issued just three starts in La Liga this season and is now verging upon the final twelve months of his contract, making the coming transfer window Barcelona’s best chance of securing a decent fee for their La Masia product.
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Barta’s agent has already suggested as much, telling Spanish radio station COPE last week; “I do not know what happens with Bartra but I know Marc is a very ambitious person and in a situation you should not like. That is very clear. As a footballer, I think the best thing to do is try to turn the tables. If it continues, it is normal to leave. Marc is playing less than last year.”
Manchester United have been linked with the 6-foot centre-back over the last few weeks. Reports of a £9.5million summer bid have coincided with rumours that Jose Mourinho will look to make additions to the heart of the Red Devils’ defence if he’s appointed Old Trafford boss ahead of the coming transfer window.
But Tottenham Hotspur were one of the clubs linked with Bartra last summer amid similar uncertainty over his Barcelona future and Sport claim the defensive ace would prefer a transfer to White Hart Lane over joining the ranks at Manchester United – describing a summer Spurs switch as ‘the most attractive proposition’.
That’s in no small part due to the strong likelihood of Spurs obtaining Champions League football for next season and Manchester United missing out. The Lilywhites are currently second in the Premier League table, whilst a 1-0 defeat to West Bromwich Albion on Sunday saw United plummet to sixth place – although they could still qualify through the Europa League.
However, Barcelona want a buy-back clause inserted in any deal for the €12million-rated starlet, which could scupper a transfer to north London. Daniel Levy’s disliking for such arrangements was reportedly one of the reasons Spurs failed to secure the services of prodigious Barcelona forward Sandro Ramirez during the January transfer window.