Giovani Lo Celso is reportedly someone that Tottenham Hotspur is expected to turn down from Barcelona in the January transfer window.
When Ange Postecoglou’s predecessor, Antonio Conte, gave Lo Celso permission to leave on a temporary basis, it seemed as though Lo Celso’s Tottenham career was over.
The midfield player signed an 18-month loan with La Liga team Villarreal, which lasted until the end of the 2022–2023 campaign.
The Argentina international was linked to a move away from the North London club prior to the current campaign, even though he returned to Spurs in the summer.
After multiple injuries and suspensions in the Tottenham squad, Lo Celso eventually stayed with the team, content to play a bench role for the first three months of the season before making a breakthrough into the starting lineup in recent weeks.
The 27-year-old has therefore started three of Tottenham’s last four games, scoring twice in a 3-3 draw with Manchester City and a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa.
Despite having an opportunity to shine, Lo Celso is reportedly drawing attention from La Liga winners Barcelona.
With Gavi expected to miss the entire season due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained last month while playing for Spain on international duty, the Catalan giants are eager to add a new midfield player during the January transfer window.
The Sun claims that Tottenham is adamant about holding onto Lo Celso and will reject any bids from Xavi’s camp.
According to the report, Spurs are hesitant to let Lo Celso leave the team because of several midfield absences.
James Maddison’s ankle injury is expected to keep him out of commission until February, and Rodrigo Bentancur won’t be back to full strength until the new year.
Meanwhile, Postecoglou’s options in the middle of the park will be limited as Yves Bissouma of Mali and Pape Sarr of Senegal are scheduled to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations in January.
It’s widely thought that Spurs will only approve Lo Celso’s exit if they get a big offer that’s too good to refuse.
But given their current financial difficulties, Barcelona is unlikely to spend big money on the 27-year-old, and Tottenham does not like their preference for a loan move.
With a contract that expires in June 2025, Lo Celso is happy at Spurs and is not likely to pursue a move in the upcoming year.
