Tottenham tipped to rival Barcelona for La Liga right-back | OneFootball

Barcelona could face competition from Tottenham Hotspur in the transfer pursuit of highly regarded Rayo Vallecano full-back Andrei Ratiu.

Ratiu played only sparingly last season but enjoyed a stellar Euro 2024 with Romania and has kicked into another gear for Vallecano during the current campaign.

The 26-year-old hit headlines over the weekend for a stunning goal that helped Vallecano earn a point against Sevilla and stay in the mix for La Liga's European places. In the circumstances, it was actually two points dropped, conceding a late equaliser against a bottom half opponent.

Mundo Deportivo writes that Barcelona are "following Ratiu with great interest", with the player already mentioned in a meeting between his representatives and sporting director Deco.

Jules Kounde has been repurposed into a right-back since arriving from Sevilla, where he was developing into one of Europe's elite central defenders, and there is a lack of cover in the position.

Ratiu scored a stunning goal over the weekend / Denis Doyle/GettyImages

But Barcelona aren't the only club linked with Ratiu. Tottenham are additionally named as a potential suitor. Pedro Porro and Djed Spence are the right-back options there, although the latter has been primarily utilised on the left instead this season.

Villarreal, where Ratiu joined the academy aged 12 after moving to Spain in childhood, are also linked, as are Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Roma, Atalanta and Brighton & Hove Albion.

A €25m (£20.65m) release clause could be considered low-hanging fruit.

Ratiu is something of a late bloomer in professional football. The defender played extensively for Villarreal C and Villarreal B up to the age of 23, making a singular senior appearance. A move to second tier Huesca came in 2021, followed by a 2023 switch to Rayo Vallecano. Including a brief loan in the Eredivisie, Ratiu has made fewer than 50 top flight appearances in his career to date.