Barcelona are, according to reports, looking to beat Tottenham to the signing of Wolves star Adama Traore, with the Liga giants piecing together a loan package that will see a former La Masia academy graduate return to Catalunya.
The jet-heeled Spain international winger has been the subject of intense transfer talk for some time, with serious questions being asked of how long he will remain at Molineux.
It appeared at one stage as though any deal for him in the January window of 2022 would extend a six-and-a-half-year stint in English football, but the 26-year-old midfielder could now be heading back to his homeland.
According to The Athletic, Barcelona are lining up a deal for Traore that will see him retrace his steps to where it all began on an initial short-term loan agreement.
An option will be included within those terms for a €35 million (£29m/$39m) permanent transfer to be pushed through over the summer.
Tottenham are set to be left empty-handed as a result, with a long-standing target for the Premier League heavyweights falling agonisingly out of reach once more.
Discussions are said to have broken down there as Traore has no desire to play as a right wing-back in Antonio Conte’s system and would prefer to fill a role further forward.
Nothing has been signed and sealed as yet with Barcelona, but positive progress is being made in talks between the Blaugrana and Wolves.
More to follow...