With the summer transfer window around the corner, the Lilywhites have already started laying the groundwork for the possible plans for reinforcements, and one of the areas where Daniel Levy will be keenly looking to add quality is right-back, given the fact that Pedro Porro has been linked with a move away from Hotspur Way and AS Monaco’s Brazilian fullback Vanderson has emerged as a primary target. But with Djed Spence still on the books (and the fact that he has proven himself in the ongoing season), a key question arises: is Vanderson truly an upgrade, or are the North Londoners overlooking what is already available at N17?
Vanderson is one of the players who has been linked with a move to Tottenham for some time now, but nothing has materialised as of now, but these consistent links with a move for him do show how the Lilywhites scouts trust and believe in his abilities. He is someone who is really technical and can play in an inverted as well as overlapping role. He is also someone who has shown abilities to remain calm in tight spaces and is quite comfortable coming into the midfield (if Tottenham shift into a 2-3-5 build-up) and doesn’t really overcommit. If we speak about his decision-making, it is leaps and bounds ahead of Spence in the second phase, and he has that ability to recycle possession under pressure, something very crucial when we are trying to recycle the play (which is something that the North Londoners rarely do under Ange).
While if I am going on in the same way about Spence, he has that raw athleticism and a sense of directness about him, which is quite useful when it comes to transition-heavy structure or against sides that leave space behind, but there is still a lack of positional maturity to invert or hold midfield zones effectively. We need to understand that Spence is more of a counter-attacking wing-back player than a possession-based full-back.
But first, let’s understand what Vanderson will bring to Tottenham
Here we start with seeing the basics that he will bring to the current roster, so we start with the technical security that he possesses, complemented by a sense of composure given how he plays more from a build-up phase point of view and the tactical discipline that he has without the ball. And the Brazilian is really good in stated roles, whether you put him in as a traditional overlapping full-back or as an inverted midfielder who pushes more narrow to support the pivot. The Brazilian has that ability to run through presses given how he doesn’t rush when facing counter presses, which will allow the North Londoners to move through the channels rather than around it.
Vanderson is intelligent off the ball given how he tracks runners, holds his lines well, and offers angles to support the players in the middle of the park when teams are pressing. If we see how the Lilywhites have struggled in the wide zones with Porro either being dragged too wide or committing too high (especially in the first phase), Vanderson will definitely resolve that problem.
How can Ange use Vanderson?
So if Ange continues at the helm at N17 and he is to continue with his 2-3-5 shape in possession, then Vanderson is someone who can naturally invert into the midfield line alongside Bergvall or Gray (much like how we have seen the likes of Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta, and Arne Slot operate their full backs) while he is also being confident enough to rotate out wide when needed. He does bring a sense of mobility (and maybe tactical flexibility) given how he plays in a back three in rest defence or can push into the midfield to have that numerical superiority when needed or simply stay on the touchline and deliver low (or driven) crosses into the box.
We have seen how the North Londoners are desperate to bring some control to their structure, and in games where chaos is against the North Londoners, someone like Vanderson brings control, and then in the games where you see space opening up, the Brazilian has the athleticism and engine to overlap and recover.
Though what is more important (if Tottenham are to get Vanderson) is that Ange will have a right-back who doesn’t need to be micro-managed on every possession — he reads triggers and reacts (but within the system).
How is he different from Spence?
So when you think of Spence, he is more of a runner, while Vanderson (when directly compared) is a structural full-back. Where the former Middlesbrough man likes to rely on his athleticism when he has the ball at his feet and rely on physique, Vanderson instead prefers to manipulate space through movement and timing.
Spence can beat a man 1v1 and make late runs, but he often gets caught out of shape when there are turnovers. Vanderson is a much more balanced player given how his positioning in second-phase buildup is more intelligent while his angles of support are well-chosen, and he knows how to recycle possession. So if we’re being honest, Spence suits a back line with counter-attacking principles (like the one that Ange has deployed), while Vanderson suits a structure that plays more in a possession-dominant 4-3-3 role that demands full-backs who can hold structure and pick their moment of attacks.
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Author Opinion
Daniel Levy will need to think about how he wants this side (and structure) to evolve. If the idea is to evolve into a European-level side that dominates possession, plays high, and builds patiently, then Vanderson is the natural upgrade. He’s not a flashy signing but instead more of a functional signing, someone who stabilises your structure and allows your attackers to shine without tactical breakdowns in the second phase, and while Djed Spence might still have a role to play in specific games, Vanderson gives you 35 reliable games per season.