Strangely, Tottenham have been linked with a couple of full backs in the last few weeks. It is strange considering that Danny Rose and Kyle Walker are probably the best in the Premier League as far as full-back is concerned. Gazza Mercato reports that Spurs are looking at Monaco defender Djibril Sidibe. The 24-year-old is the same player who reportedly rejected a move to Arsenal in the summer. One of the versatile fullbacks, he has the ability to play on the left or right side when called upon. He has even played on the right side of the midfield on one occasion.
Sidibe came through the ranks at Troyes during the 2010 season before featuring in two full seasons with the club. His form with the French outfit led to the move to Lille in 2012 where he spent four years before his departure to Monaco only in the summer. Monaco were able to convince Sidibe much more than Arsenal, but the player’s decision would have been largely based on the ability to get first team football. At 24, Sidibe is on the verge of being a first-team regular for the French national team but he needs to play regularly in order to do so.
At this delicate period, it is easy for a player to get lost from the national team fold. Sidibe was part of the reserve team for Euro 2016, but he has now been elevated to a first-team regular since the World Cup 2018 qualification campaign began. His debut against Italy and the subsequent four caps may not have happened if he had moved to Arsenal, even though the Premier League outfit have had a lot of success with French players in the past.
The interest from Spurs comes at a time when Walker and Rose are doing well. They are unlikely to be dislodged from the first-team spot anytime soon, which suggests that the club are looking for a backup option. There has been heavy transfer interest surrounding full-back Kieran Trippier and Ben Davies. The former has been linked with Southampton while Chelsea have emerged as the unlikely suitors for the latter. Should Mauricio Pochettino lose either one of these players in January, it would severely deplete his squad just at the time when the club think about Champions League qualification on a regular basis.
Tottenham will also have to fight off competition from Juventus, Napoli, and Arsenal. Juventus will especially sound like a tempting offer for the 24-year-old, as it would give him an opportunity to win titles straight away. The presence of French internationals like Moussa Sissoko and Hugo Lloris would work in favour of Spurs when it comes to enticing Sidibe.
