Tottenham want Barça's Rafinha as Inter move stalls

From Italy to England? Rafinha Alcantara's future could lie in the Premier League, with Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham interested in taking advantage of Inter Milan's indecision. The midfielder was on loan at the Serie A side last season but they are reluctant to pay the 35 million euros they agreed with Barcelona in January to sign him. 

Pochettino, who knows the player well, wants to strengthen in midfield for next season. After Harry Kane renewed until 2024, Spurs are now working on locking down Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli, two of their key players who are wanted by other European clubs. Beyond that, they want to improve the squad, too. And that's where Rafinha comes in. 

It's clear, right now, that his future is not at Barça. The Catalan club, however, will not give him away and they're not impressed with Inter. The Italian club have backtracked on an agreement to pay 35 million for him after qualifying for the Champions League. They're trying to negotiate a lower price. 

This week could be key. A meeting will take place between the two clubs and Rafinha's agent, his father, Mazinho, to try and find a solution to the situation. But Tottenham's interest could change things. 

For Spurs, 35 million is not a bad price. Pochettino is a fan of Rafinha and the Argentine, remember, worked with Ramon Planes at Espanyol and Spurs...