European heavyweight to rival Tottenham for Nice’s Jean Michael Seri

Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham are set to face competition from Spanish giants Barcelona to land Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri, according to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness).

The 25-year-old enjoyed a stellar campaign at the French outfit this season, netting seven goals and laying on nine assists to help the club finish third in Ligue 1, which secures them a place in the third qualifying round of the Champions League in August.

And his excellent season, building on a solid debut campaign at Nice which saw him net three times and lay on six assists in 38 Ligue 1 games, has attracted interest from Pochettino’s Spurs for the majority of the campaign, and they have been again linked with a move for Seri in recent days.

However, it has also been reported that European heavyweights Barcelona, under the stewardship of new boss Ernesto Valverde, are also in the hunt for the Ivory Coast international, which demonstrates how highly his stock has risen over the past few months.

Former Athletic Bilbao boss Valverde was confirmed as Luis Enrique’s replacement at the Nou Camp on Monday, yet whether he will have Seri down as a potential transfer target very much remains to be seen, which surely gives Tottenham a slight edge in the chase.

Pochetitno’s Spurs finished second in the Premier League table, seven points behind champions Chelsea, but attentions will be turning to how they can improve the team to bridge that gap to the Blues next term, and perhaps end their nine-year wait for a piece of major silverware.

And there’s little doubt that Seri would bolster the Tottenham manager’s midfield options ahead of a crucial season for the club, but whether they will indeed get a deal done for the 25-year-old very much remains to be seen.