Tottenham Suffer Blow as Barcelona Forward Nears Atletico Madrid Move

Tottenham Hotspur appear to have missed out on signing David Villa after it was confirmed by Barcelona that Atletico Madrid have agreed to pay €5.1 for the striker.

Villa had been heavily linked with a move to White Hart Lane in recent months but it appears as though he will now remain in Spain.

The former Valencia striker endured a difficult season with Barcelona as his first team opportunities were severely limited by manager Tito Vilanova, and it became clear that he would look to leave the Camp Nou.

Arsenal and Liverpool had been credited with having an interest in the striker, but it was Tottenham that were believed to be close to completing a deal for the Spaniard.

However, it appears they have missed their opportunity as the official Barcelona website reported that a deal has been agreed with Atletico Madrid. The Catalan club will receive €2.1m this season, with the remaining amount due in instalments.

The Spanish champions have also decided to include a 50% sell-on clause as part of the deal that sees the striker leave Barcelona after scoring 48 goals in 119 games.

The 31 year old showed his quality at the Confederations Cup as he extended his record as Spain's all-time leading goal scorer but it became clear he would not be needed at Barcelona after they signed Brazilian sensation Neymar.

Villa has spent his entire career in Spain and the chance to remain in La Liga and play for a club who have qualified for the Champions League may well have made his decision that much easier.

With Villa on the verge of joining Atletico, Spurs may well now have to reconsider their options as manager Andre Villas-Boas looks to build a squad capable of breaking into the top four.

Tottenham have been linked with several strikers in recent months but there has yet to be an official bid, with midfielder Paulinho the only player to sign so far this summer.