Tottenham are reportedly keeping tabs on Barcelona midfielder Andre Gomes which means that they will end their pursuit in Everton playmaker Ross Barkley.
The Sun reports that the North London club have been informed that the 24-year-old Portugal international could potentially leave the Camp Nou in the January transfer window.
The report claims that Spurs would prefer to pursue Gomes over Barkley as the Barcelona man is the cheaper option at £20million or he could potentially join the club on a loan deal.
Good move for Tottenham?
It is an interesting call from Tottenham to solely pursue Gomes as the young Everton midfielder has vast experience playing in the Premier League and it shouldn’t take him that much time to adapt.
However, Gomes has demonstrated his qualities both domestically and on the international stage as he played an important role in helping the Portugal national team win the European Championships last year, featuring in five out of the seven matches.
The Barcelona man has never been able to shine at the Camp Nou with the quality of midfield options at their disposal but he showed that he was a fine player during his two-year spell at Valencia.
Although Barkley has shown glimpses of his ability, he hasn’t performed on a consistent level since the 2013-14 season where the Toffees were so close to securing a Champions League spot.
There’s no doubt that Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino will be able to get the best out of both players but it’s possible that Gomes shades Barkley on the basis that he has performed on a consistent level for his national team.
This Is Futbol rating: 6/10
Likely to happen?
Gomes has failed to start a single La Liga match for the Catalan club this season and with Paulinho finding himself on the scoresheet against Getafe on the weekend, he is unlikely to feature on a regular basis.
It is highly plausible that he would consider leaving the Camp Nou when the transfer window reopens in the new year in order to boost his chances of playing for Portugal in next year’s World Cup.
Spurs could have a change of heart if Barkley returns from injury and starts performing well at Goodison Park.
Everton have had a poor start to the campaign and the script is there for the Liverpudlian to become the hero and prove to everyone that he has a lot to offer despite the evident friction between himself and his manager Ronald Koeman.
This Is Futbol rating: 7/10