Tottenham Hotspur looking to hijack Barcelona’s striker signing | OneFootball

Since his arrival at Barcelona as the head coach, Xavi has had some apparent agendas on the table with regards to transfers. Given the team’s finishing – or the lack thereof -, he has wanted to bring in a striker. That demand is given shape through former Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata.

The Spaniard has been Xavi’s ‘big’ demand in the winter, for he knows the club will not be able to compete in the league or in the Europa League without a centre-forward. The signing was looking impossible since early December, but with three days left in the transfer window, it has become next to impossible.

As such, Tottenham Hotspur are looking to hijack Barça’s deal and get Morata for themselves in January, according to SPORT. This comes as a direct consequence of the Blaugranas signing Adama Traore, who was on Spurs’ radar.

While Juventus were initially reluctant to let Morata leave mid-season, they have now completed the transfer of Serie A top scorer Dusan Vlahovic for €75 million. That might have eased their stranglehold on the Spaniard, but Atletico Madrid still have problems with the transfer.

Atletico are looking to secure a more permanent solution to the problem and wanted to include a €40-45 million mandatory purchase clause in Morata’s loan move to Barcelona.

Joan Laport and co. are obviously reluctant to shell out that kind of money given their aspirations to sign Erling Haaland in the summer.

Newcastle United are also interested in Morata, but if it were to come to choosing between the Magpies and Spurs, the 29-year-old would probably not like to mess up his career trajectory.

As for Barcelona, it seems Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is their chosen alternative for Morata in the winter. 72 hours to close at least one more signing.