Tottenham planning £25 million move for international star – poised to feature at World Cup

Boca Juniors star Wilmar Barrios is a £25 million target for Tottenham Hotspur, according to The Sun.

The report claims that manager Mauricio Pochettino is looking to freshen up his options in midfield and has already checked out the 24-year-old ahead of the potential switch.

Victor Wanyama was reduced to a bit-part role in 2017-18, whilst it is not out of the question that offers could come in for fellow holding man Eric Dier over the summer, particularly if he enjoys a strong World Cup with England.

Barrios is another man poised to star at the finals in Russia; he has 10 caps for Colombia’s senior side but has become an increasingly prevalent member of the squad over the past year or so.

Earlier this month he was named in his country’s preliminary 35-man party for football’s showpiece international event.

Tottenham already have one Colombian in their ranks and Davinson Sanchez was widely praised for a stellar first season at the club in 2017-18.

The centre-back’s presence would certainly help Barrios to settle and Pochettino may even lean on the 21-year-old to sell the transfer to his international team-mate.

The Argentine boss has hinted that he is unsettled in North London of late, but fans will hope that he sticks around for the foreseeable future and by planning summer business it would appear that he is still committed to the job at hand.

Barrios may not have experience in Europe, but his time at such an enormous club as Boca would certainly stand him in good stead for a move to the Premier League.

After a third-placed finish this season, Tottenham will be looking to build in the next campaign for a tilt at the title.

With his energy, passing ability and reading of the game in the centre, Barrios could well be an astute addition.