Key Tottenham Hotspur star involved in swap deal for Barcelona attacker: report

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou reacts during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 30, 2023 in London, England.
(Image credit: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur could swap one of their most important players – with a Barcelona superstar arriving in the opposite direction.

The Lilywhites have enjoyed a strong start to the season, leading the pack before a 4-1 defeat to Chelsea and a late collapse to Wolves before the international break. But there is a consensus that Tottenham's squad is a little light and that manager Ange Postecoglou could still make big signings in the next couple of transfer windows.

Harry Kane departed north London in the summer, leaving Spurs without a vital attacker – which may be addressed in the form of a creative swap deal soon. 

Bayern Munich's English forward #09 Harry Kane applauds the fans after the German first division Bundesliga football match between Werder Bremen and FC Bayern Munich in Bremen, northern Germany, on August 18, 2023.

Harry Kane left Tottenham in the summer (Image credit: INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images)

Reports in Spain, relayed by the Express, claim that Tottenham are interested in swapping Cristian Romero with Raphinha. 

Romero has been a key man for Postecoglou in defence so far – but Raphinha shone in the Premier League with Leeds United and can play on either wing. The Brazilian won the league with Barcelona in his first La Liga campaign but with the emergence of teen sensation Lamine Yamal, the cash-strapped Calatans may opt to off the winger.

Raphinha wouldn't just be an option to replace Richarlison on the left-wing: he could well be used as a right-winger, pushing Dejan Kulusevski in field to play as a midfielder. 

Raphinha in action for Barcelona against Osasuna in May 2023.

Raphinha is on Spurs' radar (Image credit: Getty Images)

Romero has just served the first game of a three-match ban, following his dismissal against Chelsea. 

Transfermarkt values Raphinha at €60 million.

More Tottenham Hotspur stories

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has spoken to FFT about recruitment at the north London club, saying it is hard to get it wrong at Spurs.

What is 'Ange Ball'? Postecoglou has also opened up to FFT about his philosophy, which is proving popular with fans of the north London club.

And according to a recent metric, Tottenham midfielder James Maddison is the most dangerous player in the Premier League.

Mark White
Content Editor

Mark White is the Digital Content Editor at FourFourTwo. During his time on the brand, Mark has written three cover features on Mikel Arteta, Martin Odegaard and the Invincibles, and has written pieces on subjects ranging from Sir Bobby Robson’s time at Barcelona to the career of Robinho. An encyclopedia of football trivia and collector of shirts, he first joined the team back in 2020 as a staff writer.