Spurs eye Branthwaite “hijack”? Defender seen as a solution to Spurs’ defensive woes
Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a summer move for Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite as the North Londoners look to solve their defensive problem in the off-season.
There is a dire need for a new central defender at White Hart Lane this summer, as Ange had dealt with a lack of depth in the position last season, which forced him to play full-backs at the heart of defence to cover for injured or suspended players. The Australian gaffer would not want to go into the next season with similar deficiencies in the squad, and this is where the need to sign a new CB at N17 becomes crucial.
Can Spurs afford & prioritize this defensive signing?
Jarrad Branthwaite is one of the upcoming prospects who has established his halo as one of the best young centre-backs in the league. He has been subject to intense interest in making a move to Old Trafford this summer; however, that deal has reportedly fallen through owing to the lack of respect shown by the United officials at Merseyside Blues.
Former Spurs defender Alan Hutton believes that his former club could “hijack” the pursuit of the 21-year-old ace, who has a sole senior cap for the Three Lions. He suggests that the North Londoners could benefit in abundance if they brought Branthwaite to the roster and insists that he would suit the Spurs style of play.
The Lilywhites have been admiring the prospects of landing the 21-year-old for a while now, and many considered him unlucky not to have made Gareth Southgate’s final squad for the European Championships.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Football Insider, Hutton said:
“I feel at times [Tottenham] have been light in that sense, actually across the back four,” the former Spurs full-back explained. When you look at their starting back line, if any of them get injured or go missing for a good length of time, the players that come in aren’t quite up to the standard.
“To have someone in the door with that potential who could be a regular starter for England moving forward, that could be a great deal.”
“He did really well last season, and there are talks [Cristian] Romero could be on the move, so there’s a few things in the pipeline that might lead towards them going for someone like [Branthwaite] and him filling that void at center-half. I have heard there could be a hijack there from people I speak to at the club.”
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Tottenham would make a statement signing if they were to sign the Everton centre-back; however, he would come for a hefty transfer fee, and the squad needs urgent investments in other positions. Hence, we need to see if Daniel Levy would be willing to sign Branthwaite for a mega amount and make the Spurs defence one of the best in the league, or if he takes up investing in other positions in the squad.
