Loaned to Tottenham last season when the London side needed a new centre-back, Clément Lenglet played a lot under Antonio Conte and those who followed him.
However, he was never bought outright by Spurs, who sent him back to Barcelona to then try and negotiate a full transfer, with those talks yet to be successful.
This, combined with the fact he doesn’t want to go to Saudi Arabia, means that the La Liga giants are now softening their stance, which could be hugely favourable for Tottenham, according to Sport.
The claim is that Barcelona are now ‘open’ to the idea of sorting out another loan for the Frenchman after a move to Al-Nassr was ruled out.
Despite Ange Postecoglou revealing the need to sell first before bringing other players in, it’s stated that the Premier League side ‘would be willing to extend the loan for a year’ and then negotiate a permanent transfer ‘from next season’.
While Italian sides are also keen, they aren’t willing to take on all his salary, giving Tottenham an advantage, especially since Barcelona want to speed things up and ‘hope to solves the player’s departure by the end of this week’.
This is seen as ‘absolutely necessary’ as they try and bring in João Cancelo and another player before the end of the transfer window. VIEW MORE:
Spurs: Lilywhites receive Kane replacement boost
Ange Postecoglou could yet get his replacement for Harry Kane…
Following the exit of Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur have been left without a natural goal scorer and are running out of time to find a replacement, with the summer transfer window coming to an end in just over a week.
The Lilywhites have, however, received a boost in their pursuit of KAA Gent forward Gift Orban, according to reports.
What’s the latest on Gift Orban to Tottenham Hotspur
It was previously reported that Spurs scouts were left blown away by Orban, and believe that the forward is the key man to replace Kane this summer. Now, the North London club have received another positive boost in the saga.
According to Het Nieuwsblad, via Sport Witness, Gent actually now want to sell their forward to Spurs this summer, and would even prefer to see Orban depart over his teammate Hugo Cuypers.
Given Gent’s reported valuation of just €30m (£33m), too, it’s a deal that Spurs should be able to fund following the sale of Kane to Bayern Munich for a reported £86m this summer.
As things stand, with the end of the transfer window edging closer and closer, Ange Postecoglou remains without a clinical goalscorer, but Orban is certainly one to keep an eye on.
Should Tottenham Hotspur sign Gift Orban?
To say that replacing club-record goalscorer Kane is no easy task would be an incredible understatement. That said, welcoming 21-year-old Orban would go a long way in filling the gaping hole left behind by Spurs’ star man.
Orban is a player that should only get better, given his age, and the potential that he has so far shown in his relatively young career. Last season, the Gent forward scored 20 goals in 22 games in all competitions to make his mark in Belgium. And if people think that was just a fluke, so far this season, he has found the back of the net a total of six times in six games.
No matter which way you look at it, Orban knows where the back of the net is.
It is his form over the last year that has resulted in several pieces of praise, including from journalist Lolade Adewuyi, who said: “Arrived in Ghent to watch two of the most exciting young Nigerian talents play tonight – Gift Orban for KAA Gent and Victor Boniface of Royale Union Saint Gilloise. The Belgian league is a breeding ground for Nigerian players and these boys are hugely popular here.”
So far, Postecoglou’s Spurs side feel like a fitting next destination for a promising young striker, too, especially with the way they took the game to Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United side, defeating the Red Devils 2-0 in comfortable fashion.
Add a player like Orban to the side that brushed United aside, and all of a sudden, Spurs could be in with a shout to qualify for the Champions League once more.
Of course, it’s a long season ahead, but replacing Kane could be imperative to how the Lilywhites’ season goes. As the window comes to a close, Spurs could be one of the most interesting sides to watch.
