Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is personally “ready” to strengthen as Spurs chiefs reportedly consider a “premium” 6 foot 4 defender.
What’s the latest Spurs transfer news?
After sealing deals for goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, young centre-back Ashley Phillips, assured defender Micky van de Ven, England midfield star James Maddison, winger Manor Solomon, exciting striker Alejo Veliz and Wales forward Brennan Johnson over the 2023 summer transfer window, reports suggest Spurs could make more moves in January.
While chairman Daniel Levy’s summer business has proved fruitful thus far, with Maddison in particular often standing out as a shining light in the Tottenham midfield, there are certain positions which the club ultimately didn’t address. One of them was failing to sign an out-and-out replacement for star striker Harry Kane, who joined Bayern Munich in a deal which could reportedly be worth up to £103 million.
The Lilywhites had been linked with a move for Gent striker Gift Orban, who is currently garnering quite the reputation as one of Nigeria’s hottest young talents on the continent. While there are little in the way of fresh rumours regarding a move for the African striker, it is believed that Spurs could move to sign a back up for van de Ven this winter.
Indeed, both Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly and Juventus star Gleison Bremer have been mentioned as targets in the past month, while Spurs also held a keen interest in Bayer Leverkusen star Edmond Tapsoba over the summer.
Now, according to a report by Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, it is believed that Spurs chiefs are still eyeing the Burkina Faso international as a “premium” option to strengthen their central defence. This comes as Postecoglou is “ready” to reinforce his backline in January, and a potential January exit for out-of-favour defender Eric Dier could free up space for an arrival.
The England international doesn’t feature in Postecoglou’s plans going forward and is set to leave as a free agent in 2024, if Spurs can’t find a buyer before then.
How good is Edmond Tapsoba?
Tapsoba has been likened to former Bayern Munich star Jerome Boateng: “The legendary Bayern Munich defender, who made 364 appearances across 11 seasons for the Bavarian giants, was as cool and calm as it gets both on the ball and in the tackle while he was also famed for his pinpoint long passing that set up many an attack for the record champions. Tapsoba has similar traits and such is his eagerness to start forward thrusts, he has often been referred to as a defensive playmaker.”
The 24-year-old played more Bundesliga minutes than any other Leverkusen outfielder last campaign, highlighting just how important he is for head coach Xabi Alonso. In that time, only fellow centre-back Jonathan Tah managed more clearances made per 90, making him an enticing option for Spurs and Postecoglou (WhoScored). It will be interesting to see how much Tapsoba could cost as a “premium” option.
