Tottenham Hotspur failed with an approach to sign Barcelona midfielder Marc Casadó before they brought in João Palhinha, a report has claimed.
Casadó is believed to have been made available for transfer this summer as Barcelona look to raise the funds needed to register their new signings. Goalkeeper Joan García is expected to be registered with relative ease but Rashford, who arrived with high wages on loan from Manchester United, could face more problems.
Rashford, for his part, has insisted he has no concerns over being dragged into another registration saga, similar to that which plagued Dani Olmo last season.
With Casadó on the market, SPORT claim Spurs reached out on their search for a new midfielder, believing his asking price of €30 million (£26.1 million, $34.7 million) offered the chance to snap up a potential bargain.
While Barcelona were open to bids, Casadó reiterated a determination to remain in the Catalan capital. Spurs, sensing a lengthy transfer battle which could ultimately end in failure, quickly decided to end their interest.
Spurs opted to pursue Palhinha instead, striking a deal to sign the Bayern Munich midfielder on loan with an option to make the move permanent next summer.
Casadó has been linked with a handful of other Premier League sides—Chelsea are named in the report—but the 21-year-old is adamant in his stance that he wants to stay and fight for his future at Barcelona.
Barcelona expect their need to sell players to drag into the opening weeks of the La Liga season, when fringe players like Casadó may be forced to consider their options if they are left out of Hansi Flick’s matchday squad.
If the fundraising does take that long, Rashford faces the prospect of not being able to play in Barcelona’s opening fixtures. The reigning champions have three league games on the calendar before the transfer window closes.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Barcelona ‘Approached’ by Premier League Giants Over Midfielder Sale.
