Barcelona are close to signing Antoine Griezmann, but Tottenham attacking midfielder Christian Eriksen has been identified as the Blaugrana’s ‘Plan B’ should they not get their man.
The 27-year-old Atletico Madrid and France forward has been a long-term target of Barca’s, and he has a release clause of around £88m in his current contract with Atleti.
This fee is seen as ‘affordable’ for the La Liga champions according to Mundo Deportivo, quoted by the Daily Mail, although the Camp Nou club are keeping their eyes on other players should a deal for Griezmann fall through.
While Mundo are talking up Griezmann, scorer of 112 goals in 209 games for Atleti, before he even moves to Catalonia, other Barca-centric papers are still considering the club’s other options.
Sport claim that Barca are making other plans in case Griezmann backs out at the last moment, and have identified Eriksen as an alternative.
They say the Dane, who scored 14 goals and assisted a further 13 in 47 games for Spurs last season, is a ‘great alternative’ for if any deal for Griezmann falls through.
Eriksen has been crucial to Tottenham becoming established in the Premier League top four since he joined in 2013.
The playmaker has enjoyed a fantastic few years in north London under Mauricio Pochettino; his 2017/18 goal tally of 10 represented a career high in the Premier League.
