Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly expected to reject Barcelona's attempts to sign Giovani Lo Celso in the January transfer window.
Lo Celso's Tottenham career appeared to be over when he was allowed to leave on a temporary basis by Ange Postecoglou's predecessor Antonio Conte.
The midfielder joined La Liga side Villarreal on an 18-month loan deal, which ran until the end of the 2022-23 season.
Despite returning to Spurs in the summer, the Argentina international was linked with a move away from the North London club ahead of the current campaign.
Lo Celso ultimately remained at the club, settling for a bench role for the first three months of the season, before breaking into the team in recent weeks following several injuries and suspensions in the Tottenham squad.
As a result, the 27-year-old has started three of Tottenham's last four games, scoring in a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa and a 3-3 draw against Manchester City.
Although he has been given a chance to impress, Lo Celso is believed to be attracting interest from La Liga champions Barcelona.
The Catalan giants are keen to sign a new midfielder in the January window, with Gavi set to miss the rest of the season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury while on international duty with Spain last month.
However, according to The Sun, Tottenham are determined to keep hold of Lo Celso and will turn down any offers from Xavi's side.
The report suggests that Spurs are reluctant to allow Lo Celso to depart the club due to a number of midfield absentees.
Rodrigo Bentancur is set to be out to February with an ankle injury, while James Maddison is not expected to return to fitness until the new year.
Meanwhile, Mali's Yves Bissouma and Senegal's Pape Sarr are set to head off to the Africa Cup of Nations in January, which will limit Postecoglou's options in the middle of the park.
There is a belief that Spurs will only sanction Lo Celso's departure if they receive a significant offer that is too good to turn down.
However, Barcelona are unlikely to splash the cash on the 27-year-old due to their ongoing financial struggles, and their preference for a loan move does not appeal to Tottenham.
Lo Celso, who is under contract until June 2025, is content at Spurs and is not expected to push for an exit in the new year. body check tags ::
