Tottenham considering Barcelona and Man City stars in surprise January raid

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Tottenham Hotspur are interested in Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Manchester City’s James Trafford amid growing concerns about current goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. Vicario is reportedly open to a return to Serie A, calling his future into question at the club.

Following a string of high profile errors, Vicario’s long term place as Tottenham’s No.1 is under scrutiny in any case, according to TeamTalk who reports that Spurs boss Thomas Frank is now prioritizing a goalkeeping upgrade. The names atop the list are veteran Barcelona shot stopper Ter Stegen and Man City youngster James Trafford.

Ter Stegen has fallen behind summer signing Joan Garcia in the pecking order for Barcelona. He made his first appearance of the season when he started against Guadalajara in the Copa del Rey this week.

It was in fact his first appearance since May of last season during Barcelona’s final home game the season. Barcelona are understood to be open to offers for the 33-year-old to help alleviate a bloated wage bill.

No direct conversation has taken place between the two clubs, but Tottenham are understood to be keen. A loan-to-buy structure has been reported as a viable option which would allow Ter Stegen to secure regular minutes ahead of next summer’s World Cup while giving Tottenham time to assess a permanent move.

Manchester City stopper James Trafford remains another key target for Frank’s side. The 23-year-old goalkeeper returned to Manchester City in the summer of 2023, but he has struggled for game time behind summer signing Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Given the player’s age, he is seen as a long-term solution with high upside for Tottenham. Man City are believed to be willing to facilitate a departure to aid Trafford’s development, while the player is eager to secure more first team minutes.

A loan deal including an obligation to buy is emerging as the most probable solution, with Tottenham having already held exploratory discussions. A January deal could prove difficult however, after Man City manager Pep Guardiola publicly stated his intention to keep the 23-year-old for the remainder of the season.

Nadji is a football writer with over 10 years of experience covering the Premier League. His work has been featured on Football Fancast, Arsenal-Mania, and Arsenal.com, where he has built a reputation for delivering sharp analysis, engaging storytelling, and in-depth coverage of the game.