Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have been targeting defender Evan Ndicka – but he has now agreed terms with Barcelona.
Eintracht Frankfurt defender Ndicka was always going to be one of the most in-demand defenders around in 2023.
Left-footed centre backs are in high demand in the modern game and Ndicka fits that bill.
The Frenchman is out of contract this summer and Premier League clubs have been eyeing bargain moves for him.
Transfer insider Dean Jones, who was speaking to Give Me Sport, claimed in December that it was looking like Arsenal would win the race for Ndicka.
Arsenal have held a long-standing interest in Ndicka but went in a different direction by signing a another left-sided defender in Jakub Kiwior in January.
Tottenham are also interested in Ndicka; Bild journalist Christian Falk told Caught Offside in January that Spurs were talking to his agent.
Tottenham need a left-sided centre back this summer and Ndicka would fit the bill – but it looks like both Arsenal and Spurs will miss out.
Barcelona secure agreement for Arsenal and Spurs target Evan Ndicka
German outlet Sport1 now claim that Ndicka has reached an agreement to join Barcelona for free this summer.
A deal isn’t absolutely done yet though; Barcelona are still looking at other options on the market.
Their agreement with Ndicka is a provisional one and they must make a final decision by early March.
If Barcelona don’t rubber-stamp the deal then, Ndicka will be allowed to go and negotiate terms with other clubs.
That means Tottenham – and Arsenal to a lesser extent – still have hope of signing Ndicka this summer.
Barcelona’s pull is huge though and it’s unlikely that they will find a better deal for a left-sided centre back than signing Ndicka for free.
Ndicka will surely leave Frankfurt this summer, but Catalunya now looks like his next destination rather than North London.
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