Barcelona fail with attempt to sign Premier League midfielder on loan: Reports

Barcelona have had a loan bid turned down by Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur for Argentine midfielder Giovani Lo Celso, according to Catalonian daily SPORT.

The La Liga giants have set their sights on signing an attacking midfielder before the transfer window closes on September 1. Having identified Lo Celso as a suitable target, the Camp Nou outfit approached Tottenham with an offer to take him on loan.

However, Tottenham were quick to turn down the proposal, according to the aforementioned source. This is despite Lo Celso not being a major part of manager Ange Postecoglou's plans. The midfielder has remained an unused substitute in Spurs' two Premier League games so far.

It is worth noting that Lo Celso, 27, had an impressive pre-season with Tottenham, netting twice in four games. The north London giants, therefore, view the Argentina international as a good squad option. They will, therefore, only consider a permanent sale, thus ruling out a loan move.

The English club could reportedly consider cashing in on Lo Celso if they receive an offer in the region of €10-15 million. Barcelona, though, are not in a position to shell out such an amount for the midfielder due to their well-documented financial constraints.

Barcelona have made three additions to their squad this summer, but two of them (Ilkay Gundogan and Inigo Martinez) were free transfers. They, meanwhile, roped in Oriol Romeu from Girona for a meager sum of €3.4 million. It is evident that they are working on a shoestring budget.

The fact that Spurs have cooled their interest in Clement Lenglet also does not help Barcelona's cause. There were suggestions that the English club could re-sign the Frenchman after taking him on loan last term. However, Postecoglou has little interest in that option.

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Barcelona target Giovani Lo Celso spent last season on loan at Villarreal

Giovani Lo Celso spent the last one-and-a-half season on loan after struggling for playing time at Tottenham. He clocked just 233 minutes of Premier League playing time in the first half of the 2021-22 season. The midfielder, therefore, returned to Spain with the hope of earning regular action.

The Argentinian made 22 appearances across competitions for Villarreal in the second half of the 2021-22 campaign, contributing towards two goals. Impressed by his performances, the La Liga club brought him back on loan for the 2022-23 season the following summer.

Lo Celso established himself as an important player for Villarreal last term, playing 51 games across competitions. He bagged three goals and four assists in those appearances. It remains to be seen if another stint in La Liga beckons for the Spurs man.