Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Schalke Firmly In Ibrahim Afellay Chase

Tuesday, 28th August, 2012

The race to secure Barcelona schemer Ibrahim Afellay before the transfer window shuts is heating up and, according to Spanish daily El Mundo Deportivo, firmly involved in the chase are Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Schalke.

The trio appear keenest on taking Afellay on a season-long loan, which Barcelona have already given the green light to. It now remains for the Dutchman to decide to where he will move in search of precious playing time, that Blaugrana coach Tito Vilanova has confirmed will be limited if he stays at the Camp Nou.

Remaining at Barcelona has been Afellay’s priority for much of the summer and the former PSV Eindhoven man rejected the chance to join Liverpool earlier in the window.

Now the player’s agent has admitted that his client is likely to spend next season away from Barcelona and the choice lies in Afellay’s hands.

Also interested in the Dutchman are thought to be Arsenal, Inter and Newcastle.

As the transfer window clock ticks down, the race for Afellay is heating up and the attacking midfielder has no shortage of options.

He is believed to favour joining a club at which Champions League football is on offer, but could be persuaded to land elsewhere if his role were to be a central one.

The Holland international joined Barcelona in the 2011 January transfer window, though suffered an injury blow in September of the same year, being ruled out for seven months.

Afellay has fallen down the pecking order at Barcelona and is out of Vilanova’s plans for this season.