Alan Hutton believes that Tottenham Hotspur need to invest in their defence in the summer after their January dealings, per Football Insider.
What’s he said?
Spurs made two acquisitions in the winter window, bringing in Gedson Fernandes on loan from Benfica and also signing Steven Bergwijn from PSV Eindhoven. Spurs also made Giovani Lo Celso’s loan move from Real Betis permanent.
However, they did not bring in a defender, despite allowing full-backs Danny Rose and Kyle Walker-Peters to move to Newcastle United and Southampton on loan respectively.
And Hutton, who played for the club between 2008 and 2011, thinks that defenders will need to be acquired in the next transfer window.
He said: “Mourinho wants those options, he wants fast players, he wants ball carriers and players that can really hurt defences. When Harry Kane comes back, they have got a lot of options up there.
“For me, there are other positions he needs to get in. Perhaps he thinks he can cope with the players he has got until the summer, we will have to wait and see.
“There have been great acquisitions in the forward-thinking areas but I do believe they need to sort out their defence to be a real force again. In the summer it will be a big building job.”
Full-backs needed
Spurs need to make a move to strengthen the right-back and left-back positions.
Both only have one senior option in Serge Aurier and Ben Davies. Japhet Tanganga can play in both positions but there is a general lack of depth in both areas.
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At centre-back, they have Toby Alderweireld, Davinson Sanchez and Jan Vertonghen as their senior options, while Juan Foyth and Eric Dier can also play there, as can Tanganga.
However, Vertonghen’s contract expires at the end of the season and he has yet to commit his future to the club.
Regardless of whether he commits or not, he is 32 and he will soon need replacing.
At least three acquisitions in defence are necessary this summer.
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