Liverpool Transfer News: Spurs Battle for Geoffrey Kondogbia, Latest Rumours

Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly ready to battle it out for midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia if Valencia opt not to use their clause to make his move from Inter Milan to Spain permanent.

As reported by Tuttomercatoweb (h/t the Daily Express's Bruce Archer), the France international is on loan with Los Che, who hold a £22 million option to sign him outright.

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Valencia are known to pass on those options, however, and elected against signing Eliaquim Mangala from Manchester City last year―despite using the Frenchman in their defence all season long during his loan spell.

If Los Che pass on Kondogbia, the Reds and Spurs will reportedly do what they can to sign him. Per the report, both clubs are already scouting the former AS Monaco man, who has enjoyed a solid start to his Valencia career.

Los Che sit in third place in La Liga, ahead of Real Madrid, and Kondogbia has played a big role in that fine start. He has settled quickly and appears to be loving life in Valencia:

He previously spent one season at Sevilla before moving to Monaco, where he rose to fame with starring displays in the UEFA Champions League against Arsenal. A move to Inter followed, but despite flashes of his talent, he never fully settled in the Italian fashion capital.

As shared by Valencia's official YouTube channel, there were still plenty of highlights in the black and blue, as well as his other clubs:

Per Archer, Liverpool could lose Emre Can on a free transfer next year, while Spurs are unsure of Mousa Dembele's fitness and Eric Dier's future. Kondogbia could be a replacement for any of those players, combining great defensive aptitude with solid passing range.

The key to any move will be Valencia's decision regarding the clause. Per Football Espana, Valencia decided against signing Mangala for a simple reason: They couldn't afford the €18 million―roughly £16 million―required.

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Those financial issues are evident in the fact Valencia's new stadium, the Nou Mestalla, hasn't advanced past the basic concrete structure in almost a decade. Los Che are desperate for funds, and for them, £22 million is a lot of money.

They could opt to use the clause and sell Kondogbia on for a profit, but such a deal would carry a lot of risk. The safer option would be to do what they did with Mangala, opening the door for the Reds and Spurs to pounce.