Rahul NareshTottenham Hotspur completed last season in positive fashion, finishing in the top four and thus getting into the Champions League for next season. However, that does not hide the lack of depth and quality in their side. Although Spurs have a brilliant front line that comprises the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, there is quite a bit of work for Spurs to do in other areas of the pitch.
Spurs have kicked off the summer transfer window in a decisive fashion by making two marquee signings. The first came in the form of the Croatian winger, Ivan Periši?, who is touching thirty-three but could still be a valuable addition to this Spurs side. Another area Spurs had to improve on was defensive midfield, so they pipped their North London rivals Arsenal and brought in Yves Bissouma from Brighton & Hove Albion. The defensive midfielder is a certain upgrade on Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, who occupied that role for Spurs last season. However, there are a few more areas that Spurs will have to work on, and these are the signing that I believe Spurs need to make this summer:
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Djed Spence
During his loan spell at Nottingham Forest last year, the 21-year-old right-back made quite the name for himself. Spence caught the eye of many during Forest’s incredible FA Cup run in the previous season. His most notable performance came against Arsenal in the third round of the FA Cup, when the Championship side beat Arsenal to move on to the next round. Forest also thrashed Leicester City in the fourth round before beating Huddersfield to make the quarter-final of the tournament. Spence also played a huge role in Forest’s promotion run and has since been targeted by many Premier League clubs.
Currently, Spurs manager Antonio Conte plays Emerson Royal, who has not had the best debut season at the club, as his first-choice right-wingback. It is undoubtedly an area that Spurs would like to improve, and Spence could be the answer. Although Spence has never played in the Premier League, his showing against some of the top Premier League sides is a sure sign of his potential.
Spurs will have to negotiate with Middlesbrough to get the signature of this youngster. No official bids have been made thus far. However, Spurs fans hope to get the deal done soon.
Lisandro Martínez
The centre-back area is a persistent worry for Spurs. Ben Davies slotted in as centre-back for Tottenham and did a reasonably good job. However, Spurs would surely want an upgrade and play a more natural player in that role.
That’s precisely where Lisandro Martínez comes in. The Ajax man, who was also the Player of the Season for the club during the 2021/22 season, would slot in perfectly as the third centre-back for Spurs. He could also play at left-back in case Conte chose to field four at the back.
The more pressing issue is the possibility of injuries to players like Cristian Romero, which came to the fore during the end of last season. Davinson Sánchez just does not seem like the player to come in and do the job for Spurs on a regular basis. In light of the issues Spurs are facing with their defence, they will need one or two centre-backs this summer.
One centre-back for sure would be Lisandro Martínez. However, Spurs will face competition from Arsenal, who apparently are in the lead to get the signature of Martínez despite lacking Champions League football.
Alessandro Bastoni
Yet another centre-back on the list is Alessandro Bastoni. As mentioned earlier, Spurs should be looking to strengthen their centre-back positions. They have been heavily linked to Bastoni, and if they do get the deal done, it would show quite some intent on Spurs’ behalf. Bastoni is just twenty-three at the moment and would be a sure shot starter at Spurs. He is yet another left-footed centre-back. Of course, Spurs could play him on the left side of the three centre-backs or right in the middle if need be.
It has been reported that Spurs are showing a serious interest in him. However, there are concerns over the player’s intention—or lack thereof—to move away from the San Siro. Bastoni’s agent, too, came out and stated that the player would be staying at Inter and not moving to the Premier League.
In case they do miss out on Bastoni, Spurs should consider going in hard for a left-footed centre-back like Lisandro Martinez.
