Tottenham Hotspur are looking to add more depth at the heart of the defence in January
It is fair to say that Thomas Frank has transformed Tottenham into a defensively resolute side this season. Under Ange Postecoglou last year, the Lilywhites conceded far too many chances and goals, managing just six clean sheets across the Premier League campaign. To his credit, Postecoglou’s struggles were compounded by an injury crisis at the back.
Even so, Frank deserves full credit for the rapid turnaround at N17. In just six league games, Spurs have already recorded three clean sheets – half of last season’s total – highlighting the progress made under the former Brentford boss. For the Danish tactician, shoring up the defence has been a vital step in improving on last season’s performances.
At the heart of that improvement is the partnership between Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, who have quickly established themselves as one of the strongest centre-back duos in the Premier League. Their complementary skillsets and growing chemistry have given Spurs a solid foundation. The only concern, however, is their injury record, which forced Thomas Frank to carefully manage their minutes.
Tottenham want to bring in a new centre-back in January
The drop-off in quality at the back when Romero and Van de Ven are not playing is quite clear to see. As of now, Tottenham have Kevin Danso and Radu Dragusin waiting in the wings if one of the starting centre-backs gets injured. However, both defenders cannot be relied upon for crucial games as they are still a long way off their best.
Recognising this, Tottenham are already exploring the January transfer market for reinforcements. As per TBR Football, the Lilywhites will have a ‘healthy’ budget to work with and are prioritising a new centre-back to strengthen their depth for the second half of the campaign.
Earlier reports linked Spurs with Brentford defender Nathan Collins. The Republic of Ireland international has been a key figure for the Bees in recent seasons, playing a central role in their push for a top-half finish in the Premier League. However, Brentford are highly unlikely to sanction his departure midway through the season, making a January move difficult for the Lilywhites.
That leaves Tottenham in a challenging position. The need for an additional defender was underlined when Frank had to deploy Joao Palhinha as a makeshift centre-back against Doncaster Rovers – an experiment that revealed the squad’s vulnerability in that area. With the Lilywhites aiming to compete hard on all four fronts this season, such risks will not be sustainable heading into the business end of the season.
For Spurs, the priority is clear: bolster defensive depth in January to maintain momentum and avoid being undone by injuries to key players. Whether they can secure the right signing remains to be seen, but strengthening the backline could prove decisive in their push for silverware.