Arsenal and Newcastle United have reportedly asked about Clement Lenglet, who Barcelona are ready to sell in the upcoming transfer window.
According to SPORT, Arsenal and Newcastle United have lodged enquiries with Barcelona over the potential availability of defender Clement Lenglet ahead of the summer transfer window.
Lenglet is in his fourth year at Barcelona, having arrived at the club from fellow La Liga side Sevilla in 2018 for a fee of €35 million. The 26-year-old enjoyed immense success early in his tenure at Camp Nou as he quickly became the preferred defensive option alongside Gerard Pique ahead of Samuel Umtiti.
However, Lenglet has seen his stock diminish over the past season and a half. The Frenchman was guilty of making costly errors last season that hurt the team. As a result, he has dropped down the pecking order at Barcelona this season, with Xavi Hernandez and his predecessor Ronald Koeman hardly calling upon him.
Lenglet has started just four games in La Liga this season. With Barcelona reportedly set to sign Andreas Christensen from Chelsea on a free transfer and pushing for Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes, the former Sevilla defender risks falling further into obscurity at Camp Nou. And a summer exit is very much on the cards, with Barcelona manager Xavi happy to part ways with the Frenchman.
Arsenal and Newcastle United have emerged as potential suitors for Lenglet ahead of the summer window. The report even states that both the Premier League clubs, along with Inter Milan, have already enquired about the possibility of signing the 26-year-old before the next season starts.
Arsenal have found a settled defensive pairing in Ben White and Gabriel. Although Barcelona are linked with the latter, the Gunners are unlikely to sell the Brazilian in the summer. But they could do with additional reinforcements at the back as William Saliba’s future remains uncertain while Rob Holding has not been playing much under Mikel Arteta of late either.
As for Newcastle United, they are eager to add a ball-playing defender to their ranks to help facilitate the change in the style of play that manager Eddie Howe wants to make. Furthermore, with Ciaran Clark and Federico Fernandez likely to depart, there will be a need to maintain squad depth by bringing in at least one new defender.
It makes Lenglet a viable target for both Arsenal and Newcastle. While he has had his issues at Barcelona, at 26, he still has his best years in front of him and can add value to the team. With enquiries now lodged, it will be interesting to see if it leads to anything substantial in the coming months.
