Midfielder Remains at Barça Despite Interest from Tottenham and Chelsea | OneFootball

Tottenham’s Midfield Moves Hit Barcelona Wall Over Casadó Stance

Summer Ambitions Meet Catalan Resistance

Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of midfield reinforcements this summer has brought them knocking on Barcelona’s door. Their sights briefly locked on 20-year-old Marc Casadó, a player admired for his tactical discipline and leadership in Barça Atlètic’s ranks. Yet, as SPORT ES report, the path to his signature remains firmly shut.

“The player has barely featured since January, and several teams have made inquiries about him in an attempt to sign him. In recent weeks, interest from Chelsea and Atlético de Madrid has emerged, and another team that has explored his situation is Tottenham.”

Photo: IMAGO

But Spurs fans hoping for a midfield shuffle involving the highly-rated Spaniard should temper expectations. “Casadó does not want to leave Barça, and the Blaugrana club would only open the door with an off-market offer and the player’s willingness to leave.”

Overbooked but Not Budging

Barcelona’s squad list is bloated, and the arrival of Hansi Flick has not eased that congestion. Still, the Catalan hierarchy appear comfortable with their current depth. “Barça’s sporting directors and Hansi Flick himself have been saying there’s a surplus of players in some areas of the pitch… they don’t want to hinder the potential development of any reserve team player.”

Photo IMAGO

Specifically, Deco and Flick addressed the glut in centre-back and midfield positions respectively, yet made one thing clear: “Barça has already made it clear that they’re very satisfied with everyone and that the squad is finalized unless that famous offer arrives that’s good for all parties.”

In other words, Casadó is going nowhere unless someone breaks the bank and the player has a change of heart.

Spurs Turn to Palinha After Casadó Refusal

Tottenham, fresh off an emotional Europa League triumph, remain on the hunt for midfield control. Their need was intensified by a Premier League campaign that left fans frustrated and exhausted, only to be saved by that dramatic European turnaround.

“Tottenham have only explored the option, but they are clear that Casadó doesn’t want to leave, so they have closed negotiations to bring in Palinha (Bayern) on loan.”

It is a pragmatic shift. João Palinha, seasoned and consistent, represents a lower-risk fix for Ange Postecoglou, who aims to reshape a side in desperate need of structure and bite in the centre of the park.

Long-Term Planning at La Masia

Casadó’s valuation of €30 million underlines Barça’s belief in his long-term potential. However, his future at the club may depend on the fitness of another youth talent: “the plan is to keep Frenkie de Jong as the clear pivot in front of the defence and gradually give Marc Bernal playing time.”

Bernal’s injury delayed his integration last year, but Barcelona remain patient. Their commitment to youth, even amidst high demand, remains admirable. As SPORT ES put it: “Bernal seems to be the club’s big bet—he already was last year until he got injured—and they’re waiting for a satisfactory recovery, as everything seems to indicate.”

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This one had promise, but maybe it’s for the best. Marc Casadó looks like a real talent, but do we really need another “project” when we’ve just clawed our way back into the Champions League? Watching Palinha arrive instead, even on loan, feels like the kind of sensible, short-term business we rarely manage to pull off.

There’s still that lingering worry though. What if Casadó is one of those talents who explodes once given a run? A €30 million valuation is steep, sure, but not unthinkable if he kicks on. The quotes from Barcelona are telling — “everyone wants to stay at Barça and are still refusing to listen to offers that, financially, are higher than what they earn at Barça.” That sort of loyalty is rare. Maybe that’s what makes him such a valuable asset.

Still, we’ve been here before. Linked to a young midfielder, only to find out he’s not for sale. The frustration would be higher if it weren’t for that Europa League trophy and a Champions League group draw to look forward to.

Casadó might resurface on Spurs’ radar in January if the situation at Camp Nou changes. For now, the Palinha move looks like a good Plan B — maybe even Plan A.