Fiorentina ready to bid €13m for Barcelona star Villa and teammate.
Tottenham have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Barcelona forward David Villa after Serie A outfit Fiorentina entered the race for the Spaniard.
The Viola are ready to offer €13m for Villa and Barca teammate Jonathan dos Santos, according to Spanish daily AS and Villa’s agent admitted that Italians had an ‘interesting project’.
“I think it is excessive to say there is formal interest from Fiorentina, but we know the type of interesting project that Fiorentina have in mind,” Villa’s agent Victor Onate told TuttoMercatoWeb.
“I worked with current Fiorentina technical director Eduardo Macia at Valencia. We are friends and in constant communication. Fiorentina had a good season and their intention is to grow even more.
“David is concentrated on the Confederations Cup. Leaving a club like Barcelona is not easy and it depends on many factors, including next year’s World Cup, as clearly he wants to approach it as a protagonist.
“If he does leave, we are looking for an important project that will allow him to play at a high level. England or Italy makes no difference, as long as the project isgood.”
Spurs’ new technical director Franco Baldini and head-coach Andre Villas-Boas are reportedly keen to bring the 31-year-old to White Hart Lane this summer, and Villa is thought to be interested in a move to London.
Arsenal were strongly linked with a move for the Spain international in January but the Gunners interest is said to have cooled, with Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Higuain now the top priority.
With the Confederations Cup set to end on 30 June, the next week will prove vital in deciding the future of the former Valencia striker.
Barca are reportedly willing to listen to Fiorentina’s offer, particualry as it involves Dos Santos.
The Mexican, whose brother Giovani spent an ill-fated four years at Spurs, managed just three substitute appearances for the Catalans last term and is available for transfer this summer.
Fiorentina are expected to lose star striker Stevan Jovetic this summer. The Montenegrin has made no secret of his desire to leave the club, with Arsenal and Juventus said to tracking him.
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