Tottenham Hotspur have submitted a formal offer to sign Atletico Madrid midfielder Pablo Barrios, according to Fichajes.
Barrios progressed through Real Madrid’s youth setup before transferring to rivals Atletico Madrid in 2017. Following his move to Los Rojiblancos, he swiftly advanced through the ranks and earned promotion to the senior squad at the beginning of 2023.
The Spaniard became a vital squad player last season, making 41 appearances across all competitions. This season, he has remained a mainstay in the middle of the park for Diego Simeone’s side, featuring in 16 of their 17 LaLiga games and all six Champions League games.
Having alternated between different positions due to already established players in the middle of the park, the youngster has now claimed a place in his favoured midfield role, with the other pivot being shared between club captain Koke, Conor Gallagher and Johnny Cardoso.
This season, Barrios has shown a high octane level of relentless work rate, efficient passing ability, creative qualities and intelligence to intercept and read dangers, which has drawn widespread plaudits and keen interest from several clubs.
One of the clubs looking to sign him is Tottenham, according to Fichajes, which claims that the North London club have earmarked him as a viable option to reinforce their midfield ranks.
Formal offer
It appears Spurs have made their interest concrete and are now accelerating efforts to sign him, with the Spanish outlet adding that the Europa League champions have submitted a formal £61m offer to Atletico for his possible transfer to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2026.
However, amid their firm offer, Atletico are keen on retaining the 22-year-old at the Wanda Metropolitano, as he’s a key part of the team and the club’s future, and have now set a £105m price tag on the Spaniard, according to the report.
Despite Atletico’s outrageous valuation of the four-cap Spain international, the report adds that Tottenham are not relenting in their efforts and believe their initial offer will pave the way for further negotiations with the Rojiblancos over Barrios’ transfer.
Tottenham have several midfield options, but inconsistent performances and a lack of technicality have left them struggling to withstand opponents of greater quality, as seen in their defeats to Chelsea and Arsenal.
Barrios would be a brilliant addition to Thomas Frank’s side to offer that youthful exuberance alongside Lucas Bergvall, while also potentially serving as an ideal replacement for Yves Bissouma when he departs the club.
