OPINION
Tottenham have found the perfect solution to their dilemma of how to replace Mousa Dembele this summer.
The Spurs midfield maestro is expected to quit this summer as he looks to head to a league that is less brutal in its fitness requirements.
The brilliant Belgian will be sorely missed but fans of the Londoners need not fret too much, following a fascinating transfer update from the impeccably-connected Sky Sports Italy journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.
The transfer king has claimed on his personal website that Spurs are battling Arsenal for the signature of Barcelona midfield kingpin Andre Gomes.
The asking price of the 24-year-old has been set at £35.2million, a hefty but not insurmountable sum for the north Londoners.
Gomes has failed to nail down a regular starting spot at Camp Nou since his 2016 arrival but there is no shame in that at a club where midfield berths are hugely competitive.
He made 31 appearances last season, many of them as a substitute, and demonstrated he has the talent and technical gifts to make a big impact in the Premier League.
Capped 29 times by Portugal at international level, Gomes is entering his peak years and could be a superb acquisition for Spurs, who need a technician in the centre next season to complement the more prosaic qualities of Eric Dier, Victor Wanyama, Harry Winks and company.