Tottenham have reached agreement with the agent of Wilmar Barrios over the terms of a deal, with a fee of £20.2million prepared for the defensive midfielder from Boca Juniors, according to a reliable journalist.
Luis Fregossi from Munobocaradio has reported that Spurs have prepared the £20.5million offer for 100% ownership rights of the player.
The tweet, that was posted on Friday night, translates: “Wilmar #Barrios‘s destiny is England. Tottenham have agreed everything with the Colombian’s agent. The English club’s offer to the club is 23M Euros.”
El destino de Wilmar #Barrios es Inglaterra , el @SpursOfficial puso Primera y ya tiene todo acordado con el representante del Colombiano para q siga su carrera allí.
La oferta del club inglés a las oficinas del club está al caer. 23 M de Euros por La totalidad d su pase— Luis Fregossi (@LuisFregossi) October 19, 2018
A previous report from Brazilian publication Clarin, said the 24-year-old enforcer would not leave Boca Juniors until after the Copa Libertadores, meaning a January move to Spurs was on the cards.
Barrios said to Clarin: “If something arrives it will be analysed and the idea is that I will leave after the Libertadores.
“Today I have my mind set on Boca, on working and on helping the team for what is coming, then let’s see what happens – to meet with my representative and the president.”
Barrios represented Colombia at the World Cup finals and played the full game against England, which they lost on penalties.
OPINION
The Barrios transfer was one that looked like it might happen in the summer, with the future of Mousa Dembele in doubt. Dembele ended up staying at Spurs though but has been linked with a move away again, and all the pieces of this jigsaw could be finally falling into place. If Spurs do get Barrios for £20.2million it will be a real bargain for the Colombian international who has 14 caps for his country. He impressed at the World Cup finals in the summer and would be exactly the sort of player Pochettino is after with Dembele nearing the end of his time in north London. He showed he’s got a nasty side as well after an incident with Jordan Henderson in the quarter-finals on the World Cup that proved you’d rather have him on your team than play against him. That could be a reality for Tottenham after the winter transfer window. The deal is far from done but this is yet another step on the road to registering him as the latest Pochettino South American star. And the winter transfer window could be the end of the road.