Tottenham Hotspur were linked with Barcelona’s Rafinha over the summer.
Tottenham Hotspur look set to be in the market for at least one new midfielder in January, and they should certainly look to rescue Rafinha from Barcelona.
Spurs are poised to lose Mousa Dembele either in January or on a free transfer at the end of the season, and landing a midfielder with similar attributes will be key.
Primarily, a midfielder who can pick up the ball and carry it forward with confidence and skill has to be a priority, and preferably a left-footed player to add balance in the middle of the park like Dembele does would also be preferable.
One player who fits that bill is Barcelona’s Rafinha, with the 25-year-old offering those attributes in abundance – and he may well be on the move in January.
Rafinha, a product of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, has made just two starts in all competitions this season, totalling just over 100 minutes as he has failed to make an impact under Ernesto Valverde.
Now, Rafinha has told Mundo Deportivo that, if his situation remains the same in January, then he will certainly consider leaving in order to pursue first-team football elsewhere, as he looks to recapture his superb form from his loan spell at Inter Milan in the second half of last season.
SPORT reported over the summer that Tottenham were keen to bring Rafinha to North London over the summer, and if Mauricio Pochettino is still interested, then he should certainly move in January, especially given his links to former Espanyol colleague Ramon Planes, the current Barca sporting director.
Spurs rescued one underused Brazilian talent from a club European club last January when they signed Lucas Moura from Paris Saint-Germain, and Rafinha is perfect for their midfield needs this time around – and his willingness to move means Spurs have the perfect opportunity to snap him up.
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