Tottenham hope to beat Arsenal to Petit

FC Barcelona are prepared to sell off both Marc Overmars and Emmanuel Petit for £20 million with Petit set for a return to London.

The pair were bought from Arsenal in a £26 million deal that has now worked for the club or the players.

Both are now for sale with petit in talks last weekend with Tottenham Hotspur director of football David Pleat.

Tottenham want to add Petit to their squad for next season but the French international has also become a transfer target for his former club Arsenal who would like to reunite him in midfield with French team mate Patrick Vieira.

Arsenal missed Petit this season but Tottenham have a large lead in attempts to buy the Frenchman. They were in contact with Petit last November about a move to London under former coach George Graham and the replacement of Graham with Glenn Hoddle has not dampened Tottenham's interest in Petit. The player's wife also wants to live in London again and Tottenham's early approach and willingness to meet Barcelona's £7.5 million valuation of the former AS Monaco star could see them bring Petit back to the Premiership despite his earlier ties with rivals Arsenal.

Their coach, Arsene Wenger, has admitted that the club are looking at Petit for next season and any delay in Tottenham's progress in signing the 27 year old may mean he has already decided to work again with Wenger.