Tottenham 'ready to battle' Arsenal for former Leeds United star this summer

Tottenham are said to be interested in a former Leeds United star as they prepare their summer business strategy. Spurs are still locked in a battle for a top four finish, just three points behind Aston Villa in fourth and with a game in hand.

The race for fourth is likely to go to the wire, with Manchester United also threatening to get involved, although they have a lot of work to do to make up the points they need. We could even see fifth place become a Champions League spot depending on how England performs across European competition as a nation this season.

That part is out of Tottenham's hands, given they are not in Europe this season, but whether they are in the Champions League or Europa League will define how bold they are in the summer window. Qualification for the Champions League would likely mean increased spending, and it seems Spurs may already be scouting potential targets.

According to Spanish publication Sport, Tottenham are interested in a move for Barcelona winger Raphinha. The Brazilian joined Barca from Leeds United on a deal worth around £50million in 2022, going on to make 57 league appearances and scoring 11.

The 27-year-old has battled some injury issues during his Barca career, starting 21 league appearances this season and starting only 12 times, and he is being linked with an exit ahead of this summer, especially with the emergence of young star Lamine Yamal. Whether he leaves Barca or not will likely depend on the next manager at the club, with Xavi Hernandez walking away at the end of this season, while his replacement is yet to be decided.

That's another reason Raphinha's future remains up in the air, but the report claims that if the winger is to move on, Tottenham and Arsenal are interested, while there could also be interest from Saudi Arabia.