Barcelona hijack Tottenham talks with Salah-like forward as terms agreed

Tottenham Hotspur appear to have lost out in the race for a highly-rated forward, as La Liga champions Barcelona agree terms to seal his signature before Thomas Frank’s side had the chance.

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Spurs are expected to back their new manager to the hilt this summer, especially after they qualified for the Champions League with their historic Europa League final win in Bilbao.

The Lilywhites are set for a significant financial windfall, which Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge described as “huge” in terms of their recruitment drive. Chairman Daniel Levy and technical director Johan Lange no longer have to operate under a sell-to-buy policy, with Spurs already agreeing a permanent deal for Mathys Tel as they continue to scour the market for new wingers.

With Son Heung-min’s future uncertain, amid links to Saudi Arabia, the likes of West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus, Man City outcast Jack Grealish, Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, Southampton sensation Tyler Dibling and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo have all been linked within the past fortnight.

Tottenham face competition from Man United for Mbeumo, who’ve now submitted a fresh £60 million bid for the Cameroonian, while Bournemouth are expected to demand around £70 million for Semenyo (The Athletic).

Levy and Lange will need to either dig deep into the Tottenham coffers or get very creative in their pursuit of a high-profile winger, as all of their reported targets are likely to cost a premium.

The north Londoners did have their eyes on a bargain option, though, in the form of FC Copenhagen starlet Roony Bardghji.

Bardghji, dubbed the ‘Swedish Messi’ by some, burst on to the scene with a heroic performance against Man United in the Champions League nearly two years ago.

He bagged a stunning late winner against them at the end of an unlikely 4-3 group stage victory over the Red Devils in November 2023, with Bardghji set to leave Copenhagen on the cheap this summer as his contract expires in late December.

The 19-year-old, after coming back from a serious injury, is now on the verge of joining Barcelona – but Spurs did try their hand.

Barcelona hijack Tottenham talks for Roony Bardghji

Tottenham held talks with Bardghji and his representatives in a bid to tempt the winger to London, according to journalist Graeme Bailey and TBR Football, but Barça are now seemingly set to “win the race” for his signature.

That is according to TBR again in another update this week, with Bailey reporting that while Tottenham hoped to inspire a ‘Lucas Bergvall-type’ transfer by opening talks with Bardghji, Hansi Flick’s side have hijacked their move by closing in on a deal for the top talent.

This is echoed by reliable media sources like Fabrizio Romano, who believe that Bardghji’s move to the Camp Nou is merely a matter of time with terms agreed.

Levy has now missed out on a potential bargain forward who could’ve joined for the meagre price of just £1.7 million, not to mention a player who’s been likened to Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah.

“He has very similar characteristics to Mohamed Salah,” said Scandinavian journalist Nicklas Degn.

“When Copenhagen have to come up with something brilliant or unlock a team, it is Roony they look to. He has this unique talent.”