With Daniel Levy bidding adieu after what was almost a 25-year stay at Hotspur Way, Tottenham Hotspur are about to change the direction of how they operate in this new era. And the chiefs within the cubicles at N17 are already looking to ensure that their shopping list for the winter window is taking shape.
There is one name that has been creeping back among the halls of Hotspur Way in Dennis Cirkin off late.
And the 23-year-old left-back, who was once tipped to achieve big things at Hotspur Way, could finally get a chance to make it happen. Given that he will enter the final six months of his contract with Sunderland, he is expected to be available on a cheap transfer.
While if we think about it, this one does look like a no-brainer transfer, especially given the expected cut-price fee. But is it really a transfer that Tottenham and Frank should be looking to sanction?
Why Cirkin at N17 makes sense
When we are looking at transfers around Tottenham these days, the first thing we see is the homegrown status, given the current obvious shortage that the club has of club-trained players. And this is a painful problem given how it forced the North Londoners into naming a squad of only 22 players in the Champions League. So bringing back Cirkin would tick that box immediately.
But I shall look at this footballing point of view; he’s not just a quota-filler. Cirkin has had four strong seasons at the Stadium of Light, wherein he played a key role to bring them back to the English top tier. He has shown the ability to be steady when it comes to the defensive side of things while also being capable when going forward. And moreover, he is versatile enough to operate in a back four as well as a wing-back system.
If we look at his numbers from last season, the 23-year-old aggregated 39 appearances where he chipped in with three goals and two assists. But more importantly, he helped them keep 12 clean sheets. And those are respectable numbers.
When Jose Mourinho was still at the club, he called him a “kid with a lot of quality” when Cirkin was just 17. And those raw attributes haven’t disappeared.
How would Dennis Cirkin fit under Thomas Frank?
Thomas Frank uses his full backs quite differently based on the opponents that the Danish head coach has been playing. At times you’d see the left back going aggressive and progressive (we’d see this a lot when Udogie plays on the left), and then he uses someone like Pedro Porro as more of an extra playmaker on that right flank.
But let’s be honest, having Cirkin on that left flank doesn’t get you the same flair, but that could actually work in the structural system that Thomas Frank deployed at N17. He brings a sense of balance.
So if we speak more from a balance point of view, when one full-back is looking to push forward, the Dane head coach usually wants the other to tuck in and hold shape (which in a way gives you that defensive security). And given how Cirkin is more naturally conservative, it makes him a more sensible option, given you have Porro on the other side.
Here it is also a matter of rotation. So let’s go back to when the Dane was still in charge of Brentford, when he liked to have a roster of players ready to step in without dropping standards.
Having Cirkin in the roster means you have someone who can play the “safe pair of hands” role. This ensures that Tottenham maintain a sense of structure when Udogie is not available.
Cirkin’s current situation raises risks of a Tottenham reunion.
But that being said, Tottenham are in no position where they should go into transfers sentimentally. For a fact, Cirkin has fallen out of favour at Sunderland since Reinildo was signed for the Black Cats, which should be a cause of concern.
If he is already struggling to accumulate minutes for Sunderland, then the question comes up whether he is really at the level that Tottenham needs him to be…
At the moment, Tottenham have Djed Spence playing as the first-choice left-back after proving his abilities for the North Londoners, with Udogie struggling to keep fit as he fights consistent injuries. Any return for Cirkin would essentially make him third choice at N17.
Author Opinion
Cirkin is not one of those singers who would end up taking up the front pages. But then he does solve a couple of problems: one is that he quietly gives you a reliable sense of depth, but then he also adds to the homegrown quota. If the fee is low, then Tottenham should definitely go for his signature.
But if Sunderland end up playing hardball or if Cirkin is asking to walk into the starting eleven, then it doesn’t make sense.
Would you take Cirkin at Hotspur Way? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.