Alex Song isn't going to play at Barcelona this season, and the club really want to get rid of him. Not just to get his wages off their books, but to get a player who's never going to play out of their dressing room. He was their only player who didn't feature in Monday's friendly, and the club are willing to let him go on a loan for free. They don't even want a loan fee.
Theoretically, Song would be a perfect fit for Mauricio Pochettino's system. He's been terrible for Barcelona as a lone holder, but he's a very good player when asked to play a box-to-box role. He's a great passer for a so-called defensive midfielder and is excellent at winning the ball high up the pitch, then distributing. He creates chaos with his athleticism, he's less reckless than Lewis Holtby and he's more creative than Etienne Capoue.
If Tottenham Hotspur were to sign Morgan Schneiderlin to play in the same position, his new contract would take him to wages similar to what Spurs would reportedly have to pay Song -- £75k a week.
With Southampton playing hardball over a Schneiderlin transfer and seemingly unwilling to sell him for less than £20m or so, it's worth asking whether he's really the best option for the club. Would Spurs be better off taking Song on a one-year loan with no fee -- probably with an option to buy for a reasonable price -- than they would paying a huge fee for Schneiderlin? They're extremely similar players with extremely similar skillsets and would occupy the exact same position. They're about as like-for-like as two players can be.
Personally, I'd rather have Song and money in the bank to spend on another position, or in January, than Schneiderlin at the price it would take to get him.