The Lilywhites are looking to rebuild their defence after a number of disappointing defensive campaigns.
Tottenham Hotspur are in talks with a number of centre-backs including Wolfsburg’s Micky Van De Ven ahead of a potential move to north London this summer.
Do Tottenham Hotspur need a centre-back?
Spurs are in desperate need of some central defensive reinforcements this summer.
The Lilywhites endured a difficult campaign last season in terms of their defensive hold having conceded a whopping 63 goals throughout the Premier League term.
Tottenham also haven’t enjoyed much success in the transfer market when it comes to buying centre-backs, with both Joe Rodon and Clement Lenglet leaving plenty to be desired, whilst Cristian Romero has been impressive, but is also prone to a moment of madness and over-aggressiveness which can cost the team.
For the past two campaigns, Spurs have employed a back three, with Welsh full-back Ben Davies often becoming a makeshift left-sided central defender. However, the arrival of new boss Ange Postecoglu could signal the return to a back four, which the club haven’t played since Jose Mourinho was in charge.
A number of the team’s centre-backs may not be suited to playing in a back four, which makes the Lilywhites’ exploration of the central defensive market much more understandable, with Van De Ven emerging in recent weeks as the club’s primary target for the position.
Sky Sports editor Lyall Thomas, speaking on the Last Word On Spurs podcast, revealed that the club are looking at upwards of five centre-half options this summer and that the Dutch national from the Bundesliga is an option, but it is not as close as certain reports have suggested:
“I don’t think it’s close at the moment, no. What I know is that they are definitely interested in the player [Van de Ven] but they are interested in about four or five and what they are doing at the moment is they are talking to the right people around all five of these players, which is what they should do and what is normal for this time in the window.
“There’s nothing agreed with Wolfsburg, there’s nothing agreed with the player yet either. And they are also talking about players like Edmond Tapsoba and Tosin Adarabioyo at Fulham and Clement Lenglet still at Barcelona and there is one more as well, at least one more on the list, which might be Marc Guehi, but I’ve not had that confirmed yet, but we know there is a long term interest in Marc Guehi.”
Which of those options are the best for Tottenham Hotspur to sign?
Lenglet spent last campaign on loan at the North London side, making 27 appearances for the club and recording a Whoscored rating of just 6.55, which was the second-lowest rating for any central defender at Spurs last season, with only Sanchez producing worse. The French international is also 28 years old, so the club may be better off going for a younger option instead of someone who is currently supposed to be in their prime years.
Adarabioyo featured as part of a Fulham side that shocked many people last season and finished in the top half for the first time in over a decade. The 25-year-old made 29 appearances in all competitions for the side and recorded a Whoscored rating of 6.72.
The former Manchester City youth product formed a solid partnership with American defender Tim Ream at the heart of Fulham’s back-four defence and could be a solid option for Postecoglu this summer. The defender could be available for a cut-price deal due to his contract expiring at the end of next season.
Van de Ven enjoyed a real breakout campaign for Wolfsburg last season, making 36 appearances and registering a Whoscored rating of 6.66. The Dutch youth international featured mainly on the left of a back three however has shown his versatility in the past when covering at left-back. The defender is coming off the back of a solid outing in the U21 Euros and gained notoriety last season for his incredible block against Union Berlin. Other top English sides are believed to be interested in the 22-year-old.
Tapsoba enjoyed a solid campaign under Spanish legend Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen, making 46 appearances in all competitions and recording an average Whoscored rating of 6.76. The Burkina Faso international shone on the European stage however, with a 7.28 rating across his eight Europa League appearances showing that he can handle the big occasions. The only minor worry may be that the mainly played in a back three last campaign, however, he has plenty of experience under previous coaches on the left of a back four.
Marc Guehi seems like the perfect option for Spurs, with the 22-year-old making 39 appearances last season, recording an average rating of 6.69. The current Crystal Palace captain is one of the most consistent defenders in the division and has garnered a lot of interest from top clubs including Newcastle United and Liverpool. The Englishman made his mark last season and earned his first England call-up, and has since gone on to appear three more times for the Three Lions.
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