Tottenham set to pull out of race for ex-Barcelona prospect

Tottenham set to pull out of race for ex-Barcelona prospect originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Before Tottenham Hotspur were linked to the likes of Jan Paul van Hecke and Sandro Tonali, they were set to hijack Italian side Lazio's transfer target, Sergi Dominguez. The Lilywhites were set to enter the race for the former Barcelona academy talent, as they were looking for cost-effective ways of fixing their defense, a part of their game that really suffered last season, allowing the fourth most goals in the Premier League, with the three relegated teams being the only ones to concede more.

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Dominguez, who currently plays for Dinamo Zagreb in the Croatian top flight, was identified following a season in which he got involved in the creation of six goals, as well as recording 47 interceptions and 43 won tackles on the defensive end of the pitch. With the initial fee required for the Spanish defender being in the region of  €4 million at the time, it could've been viewed as a no-brainer for Tottenham, but things have changed in recent days.

Spurs bow out of the Dominguez race

With further negotiations taking place, it appears that the North London club no longer has its eyes set on Dominguez, with the decision coming after the fee for Dominguez saw a noticeable rise, now sitting around €11-12 million, according to Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla, with their efforts being more focused towards the aforementioned Tonali.

"They're positive, but so far, Tottenham have decided not to delve any deeper because their priority is to sign a couple of midfielders (their number one target is still Sandro Tonali," writes Pedulla. "Their [Dinamo Zagreb] asking price is at least €11-12 million plus bonuses. Spurs recently made Senesi official on a free transfer and are focused on other deals."

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Given their interest in Tonali, as well as the slew of defensively minded players brought in during the opening weeks of the transfer window, it would make sense that Spurs aren't looking to add further names to their backline. This doesn't even mention the playing time exercise that Roberto De Zerbi will have with the players currently at the club, with Croatian defender Luka Vuskovic already wanting out over concerns of ample time on the pitch to hone his skills at a top level.

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