Tottenham Hotspur and Villarreal in negotiations for Gio Lo Celso and Tangu Ndombele

According to reports, Tottenham Hotspur and Villarreal are now in negotiations for the midfielders Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso. Both midfielders have been claimed not in Spurs’ plans. Both are excluded out of the match squad in Spurs’ 4-1 win against Southampton on Saturday, August 6.

And they both had a loan move to other clubs last season. Giovani Lo Celso spent a very successful loan at Villarreal, where he helped them into the Champions League semifinals. It’s quite obvious that Villarreal desire to take Gio back again this season. And Ndombele spent the second half of last season on loan at Lyon in Ligue 1.

That Conte signed Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma in back-to-back transfer windows shows his lack of faith in some of the midfield options he inherited at the club. If the club don’t have a plan for them under Conte, it is best to get them offloaded.

However, both deals are said to be a loan move. The fee required for a permanent transfer for either of them probably makes it a non-starter for a club like Villarreal that just doesn’t have the financial liquidity right now. That is to say, a loan with a purchase option makes sense, assuming an agreement on the option can be reached that makes everyone happy.

Tottenham would have to accept losses on two midfielders. And while that would be bad business, if Tottenham do well on the pitch without them, then all would be forgotten.