Tottenham Hotspur have been looking to bring in a new defender in the upcoming winter transfer window given the Lilywhites’ injury problems at the back, and John Wenham, owner of the Spurs podcast Lilywhite Rose, has backed the club to sign a new centre back amid news about a potential return of Ashley Phillips.
The North Londoners have suffered greatly because of injury concerns at the back, with starting CB duo Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero being a consistent presence in the treatment room while their eventual backup in veteran Ben Davies joined them. Australian head coach Ange Postecoglou has been forced to play Archie Grey (originally a midfielder) in the middle of defence for the past few games, and Spurs are looking to recall Phillips to address this concern.
Is Phillips the answer?
Phillips has been impressing for Stoke City in the ongoing campaign, and he could finally have an opportunity to make his name at White Hart Lane; however, John Wenham doesn’t think his return could be the solution. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Tottenham News, the podcast host has backed the club to sign ‘established’ centre backs. He said:
“We should be going out and signing established centre-backs. What we shouldn’t be doing is recalling somebody who is part of the long-term plans and playing out on loan at the moment. Phillips should absolutely be left at Stoke City to continue developing.
“Spurs should be doing everything in their power to sign a centre-back; they should be working on it as we speak so that a player is ready to come through the door on 1 January.”
Wenham’s resolve here is one that most sides that want to compete on top employ, as recalling Ashley Phillips could provide short-term cover at the back, but relying on a young and still-developing player to fill in for seasoned players like Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, and Ben Davies might not be sufficient if the club is serious about pursuing a top-four finish.
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Do you think Tottenham should sign a new defender or recall Ashley? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
