Barcelona are in talks with Wolves over a move for Adama Traore, who is unconvinced by Tottenham’s offer to use him in a variety of positions.

Traore would prefer to move to Barcelona and the club has offered a loan move with a £29m option to make a deal permanent.

The 26-year-old started his career at Barcelona and has gone on to become a Spain international.

Blow for Spurs but pull of Barca is strong

Missing out on Adama Traore represents a huge blow for Antonio Conte and Tottenham – this was a deal that was thought to be all but secured with the club keen to add further signings as well. Failure to land the Spain international leaves them with a problem.

Traore had been identified to bring impetus at wing-back where Emerson Royal has lacked the creativity to beat a man in the opposition third. While Traore’s defending has been questioned, nobody doubts his ball-carrying ability would have added a new dimension.

The talk now is that he never fancied the position. Traore has only been used there in desperation by Bruno Lage – when trailing Brentford and Crystal Palace – and last had a run at wing-back under Nuno Espirito Santo in the autumn of 2019, with mixed results.

More likely is that the interest from Barcelona changed his mind. Although Traore has spent the past six-and-a-half years in England, adapting well, Catalonia has always been home. He joined Barca’s youth set-up aged eight and made his La Liga debut for the club at 17.

The chance to return as an international player in his prime and ready to make an impact under his one-time team-mate Xavi Hernandez is an opportunity that he will have craved. Now he looks set to get that chance. For Tottenham, the search continues.