Conte set to miss out as familiar face ‘insists’ Tottenham target moves to Spain
A report in Spain claims Wolves Adama Traore could move to Barcelona this month as his agent is pressing the Spanish giants to get a deal done.
Traore, 26, has been the subject of many column inches during January. The Spain international has been heavily linked with a move to Tottenham. Antonio Conte is hoping to strengthen and it was recently reported that the north Londoners had agreed a £20m deal for the star.
However, he remains at Molineux despite Spurs pursuit and Barca are now on the case. Catalan outlet Sport, via Sport Witness, are suggesting the Nou Camp outfit originally wanted to sign Traore next summer.
But his agent, Jorge Mendes, would rather the deal went through before the current window closes. And the former Aston Villa and Middlesbrough star is said to be happy to play ball.
The man with eight Spain caps travelled to Barcelona last month and confirmed that he was ‘willing to join the club’. He began his career with Barca, spending time with the club’s B team.
He made just two appearances for the first team before moving to Villa Park in 2015. However, he barely featured for the Villans, with two subsequent seasons at Boro.
And now he could be set to switch back to the club where it all began, if his agent gets his way.
Traore Barcelona move far from certain
Mendes has worked on many deals bringing players to and from Wolves in recent years. He is an influential figure behind the Black Country outfit’s rise.
But there are other factors to consider. Barca’s financial situation means they need to jettison a player before forking out on a new one.
Ousmane Dembele’s future is in doubt, with both Manchester United and Newcastle linked. His sale would generate funds for new faces but Traore’s wage demands must also be affordable for the LaLiga giants.
The report adds that Mendes has ‘made it clear’ that the player could move for around €22m. And Sport add that Mendes has ‘insisted’ Barca make the transfer happen in January.
He wants a six-month loan deal with an obligatory buying clause included. There is also the possibility of including Francisco Trincao in the deal.
The 22-year-old Portugal international is on a season-long loan with Bruno Lage’s side. That would further reduce Barcelona’s outlay – an important consideration due to their current predicament.
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