Tottenham have suffered a blow in their pursuit of Brest left-back Bradley Locko
Tottenham have strengthened their attacking ranks with the capture of Dominic Solanke and Wilson Odobert from Bournemouth and Burnley, respectively. With the arrivals of young midfield talents such as Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray earlier this summer, there is a possibility they focus on reinforcing their backline in the final weeks of the transfer window.
The north Londoners, prior to selling Emerson Royal to AC Milan last week, had released Ryan Sessegnon after a tumultuous five years. The decision to let go of Sessegnon has left head coach Ange Postecoglou with Destiny Udogie and Ben Davies as the recognised left-back options in his squad.
However, Udogie and Davies have been seemingly deemed inadequate to cover so many games in the 2024/25 campaign after the club’s return to Europe this term. This is perhaps reflected by Tottenham’s interest in Brest left-back Bradley Locko. However, Spurs’ chase for the Ligue 1 star has hit a roadblock.
According to a report from French publication L’Equipe, Brest left-back Bradley Locko has sustained an Achilles tendon rupture in training. It is a serious injury and he is set to undergo surgery early next week, following which the defender will miss the best part of the 2024/25 campaign.
It is a massive blow for Brest, who begin their 2024/25 Ligue 1 campaign against Marseille on Saturday. Likewise, Tottenham’s potential summer move for Locko has now fallen in jeopardy, although the 22-year-old silver medallist at the 2024 Paris Olympics was reportedly very close to signing for fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest.
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Locko was one of the revelations in Ligue 1 last season, registering three assists in 33 games for Brest after arriving from Reims in July 2023. He played a key role in helping Eric Roy’s side finish third in the Ligue 1 table and subsequently qualify for the Champions League.
The unfortunate injury has supposedly denied the Frenchman a move to the Premier League. Locko, who is valued at around £10.2m, is a player with solid technical attributes and defensive nous, and he would have fitted in well at Tottenham.
For a young player who had an eye-catching debut season in Brest colours, the 22-year-old would have been a snip at £10.2m for our club. The ex-Reims man could have been a fine option to challenge Udogie and Davies for the left-back spot while succeeding the latter in Postecoglou’s squad.
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However, an Achilles tendon rupture has ruled Locko out for the foreseeable future and scuppered a potential move to the Premier League. Spurs keen on his signature must now shift their focus to alternative left-back targets.
