Soccer: Barca admit concern over Sol

Barcelona fear their bid to lure Tottenham captain Sol Campbell to Spain will fail and that the player will stay with Spurs.

Barca have reportedly offered Campbell a five-year, £100,000-a-week deal to quit Spurs on a free transfer when his White Hart Lane contract expires next month.

Coach Carles Rexach confirmed that negotiations had taken place.

But he added: "A lot depends on whether Campbell wants to leave Tottenham, a club he has played for all his life. He says he wants time to think about it but I believe that if he can reach an agreement with Tottenham he will stay there.

"He is the kind of defender we like. He is young and aggressive and we have lacked some things in defence this season, especially with injury problems affecting Aberlardo and Frank de Boer.

"But my personal opinion is that Campbell likes Tottenham so much that he will accept a good offer to stay with them.

"We may have to look at other players now and there have been stories about Cristoval the Brazilian player who is in France. It is possible because although he is not as aggressive as Campbell he is maybe a bit more constructive."

Rexach, who recently succeeded Llorenc Serra Ferrer as Barcelona coach on a one-year contract, also indicated that their former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit would be allowed to leave the Nou Camp if he can negotiate terms with a new club.