Tottenham now have a realistic chance of signing £50m "phenomenon"

Tottenham have been handed a boost on the transfer front after it emerged that one of their long-term targets may finally be free to make the switch to North London this summer.

Spurs need firepower

Tottenham's attack has struggled this season, with the Lilywhites having scored the fewest goals out of the Premier League's top seven. It is an area that Ange Postecoglou looked to bolster in January, with Spurs landing Timo Werner on loan from RB Leipzig with the option to make the move permanent for a fee of around £17m this summer, provided that the clause is activated before EURO 2024 begins.

Related The German is drawing a mixed opinion.

But despite Werner having seemingly had a good impact in, there is no communication as to whether the club will pull the trigger on the 28-year-old's move, with Tottenham's recent transfer strategy having revolved around signing younger players.

Should they opt not to sign the German, then Spurs will undoubtedly be on the hunt for a new option in attack, with Richarlison the only recognised striker at the club and Heung-Min Son still overly relied upon in Harry Kane's absence.

While the 31-year-old is not yet showing any signs of slowing down, his peak is likely behind him. As a result, a statement signing may be needed, and Spurs appear to have identified just the man.

That is according to Spanish sources, who claim that Raphinha could be the player sacrificed in a bid to balance Barcelona's books this summer. Via Sport Witness, the Spanish media claim that the Catalan giants are ready to talk about a move for their Brazilian winger, just two summers after signing him from Leeds United.

Tottenham, who were interested in Raphinha before he moved to Barcelona back in 2022, are said to now have emerged as a "realistic" option for the winger. This is because "Barca have to make a big sale in the next window to improve their finances", even before they consider making deals for Joao Cancelo or Joao Felix permanent.

However, they will have to convince him to depart Camp Nou, with the report going on to add that "the player isn’t keen on leaving Barcelona" following some impressive performances in recent months, which could lead to a situation akin to Frenkie de Jong's last year, when Manchester United agreed a fee with Barcelona but the player refused the move.

Should that hurdle be cleared, it is believed that Barcelona value Raphinha at around 55m euros (£47m), which is less than the fee demanded by Leeds United to see him leave the Premier League. The winger has come in for high praise previously, with some of it coming from across North London. In 2021, Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes praised his compatriot for his display in a 4-1 win over Uruguay, calling the former Leeds star a "phenomenon”.

Though he would not solve the issue of goals by himself, Raphinha's arrival would be an exciting one and would furnish Postecoglou with another top quality option in the wide areas, which Spurs appear to be crying out for.