Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly set to concede defeat to Barcelona in the race for Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker Adama Traore.
The Lilywhites were widely expected to complete a deal for the Spain international this month following reports of positive discussions between the two clubs.
Spurs manager Antonio Conte supposedly wanted to convert Traore into a right-wing back in North London, with Wolves thought to be holding out for a fee close to £20m.
However, The Athletic reports that Barcelona have now stolen a march in the race for Traore's signature after the former Catalan youngster had reservations about the position change Conte had planned for him.
The report claims that Tottenham's pursuit of the Wolves man is all but over, as Barcelona attempt to get a loan deal with an option to buy for €35m (£29.2m) over the line.
Traore only has one goal to his name from 20 Premier League appearances this season and came through Barcelona's academy before signing for Aston Villa in 2015, making four appearances for the senior Blaugrana team.
Ben Knapton
