Tottenham and Arsenal tracking Barcelona defender Xavi Espart, says report

CaughtOffside reports Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are monitoring Barcelona defender Xavi Espart, with an offer of €40m-€50m (£34m-£42m) potentially enough to bring the Spanish club to the negotiating table. The report says none of the interested clubs has held formal talks with Espart or Barcelona, and it does not report an offer from either North London side.

Espart, 19, has started seven games for Barcelona this season, according to CaughtOffside. The outlet says Tottenham and Arsenal have both compiled detailed scouting reports, with his technical quality, tactical intelligence and versatility attracting attention from their recruitment teams.

Aston Villa, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus are also monitoring the defender, CaughtOffside reports. Barcelona have Espart under contract until 2030, and the outlet says his deal contains a €100m (£85m) release clause. Its report adds that a club would not necessarily need to pay that clause: a bid in the €40m-€50m range could be enough to open discussions.

For Tottenham, the reported interest comes amid questions about right-back cover. Spurs Web says the club chose not to replace Djed Spence with another right-back in the summer, instead asking Archie Gray to provide cover for Pedro Porro. Porro’s injury has seen Gray feature six times in all competitions this season, while Gray’s preferred position is central midfield, according to the reports cited in the coverage.

Spurs Web also reported a little over a month ago that Tottenham were interested in Real Sociedad right-back Jon Aramburu. The outlet says later reports have pointed to the possibility of Tottenham adding a right-back in January, which could allow Gray to compete in midfield. Espart is another young La Liga defender being watched, but the current reporting places Tottenham and Arsenal at the scouting stage rather than in negotiations.

The clubs’ league positions underline their different situations: Arsenal are second with 18 points from seven matches, while Tottenham are 20th with three points from six. For Spurs, a right-back signing could address a squad role while freeing Gray for midfield; for now, though, CaughtOffside’s report describes interest, not a move that is close to completion.