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Tottenham summer target expected to tick Champions League box; shrewd free deal on the cards
Tottenham are interested in re-signing Kyle Walker-Peters on a potential free transfer from Southampton
Tottenham Hotspur are working behind the scenes to try and find players to improve Thomas Frank’s squad after he was appointed as head coach earlier this month.
Despite their Europa League success in May, Spurs need quality players after a disappointing Premier League campaign that saw them finish in 17th position. The North Londoners are closing in on signing Japanese defensive prospect Kota Takai from Kawasaki Frontale, after the permanent captures of Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel.
Following their entry into the Champions League, Tottenham need depth in several areas of the pitch. As per a report from Football London, they will also need to name a 25-man squad for the Champions League, but eight of those 25 must ‘qualify as a locally trained player.’ Of those eight, at least four must have spent three years at the club between the ages of 15 and 21.
The North London club are currently struggling to meet those requirements, and that has prompted Daniel Levy and Co. to explore ways in which they could bring back players who have been a part of the club before as a youngster. As such, Southampton’s Kyle Walker-Peters has been linked with a return to Tottenham to satisfy those needs.
The 28-year-old will leave Southampton as a free agent at the end of June to pursue a career elsewhere. He was a part of the Saints’ side that suffered relegation from the Premier League last season, and a move back to Spurs looks to be on the cards now.
Kyle Walker-Peters has been a solid performer for Southampton over the years, essaying multiple roles across the backline. The England international can operate on either side of the defence, and also as a wing-back, and such versatility coupled with his potential free agency status has seen former Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson highlight the positives behind the potential deal.
“I think he ticks a lot of boxes for Tottenham as he can play either side and he can play in the wing-back roles, so with Thomas Frank’s versatility and flexibility with his formations gives him an option,” Paul Robinson exclusively told Tottenham News.
“Spurs have Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie, and then Walker-Peters. You give me the choice of two out of the three, Walker-Peters doesn’t play.
“However, we know with the Champions League, with all the extra games that they’re going to have next season, it’s going to be more of a squad game than it’s been in a long time for Tottenham.
“So, a player like that would bolster the squad, and on a free, it would make a lot of sense for Tottenham.”
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Free transfer acquisitions may not always be exciting, but Walker-Peters is a solid, Premier League-proven defender who’d add a lot of value to Frank’s squad. The Danish tactician likes his full-backs to be very aggressive on and off the ball, be creative in the final third and bomb forward to help the forwards, and that is something we’ve been accustomed watching the Southampton man.
On a free transfer, Walker-Peters would be a smart signing for Spurs.
