Tottenham Hotspur are said to have joined a growing list of Premier League clubs that are looking at Nantes defender Tylel Tati, according to CaughtOffside. The 17-year-old is looking like one of the better defensive prospects in Ligue 1 in the ongoing campaign season. And now Tottenham have him on the radar as well, given that Thomas Frank continues to prioritise bringing in young profiles and continue the transfer policy that Daniel Levy adopted in his final years at Hotspur Way.
And that is where the Lilywhites’ interest in 2008-born defenders comes in. He has come through the ranks at Nantes’ academy and has gone on to earn himself a place in the first team this season. Despite his young age, Tati has already shown that he has that physical ability and is quite mature to be getting these minutes that he is getting at Nantes.
Tati primarily operates as a centre-back, but he can also cover on that right defensive flank when required.
He is someone who is composed under pressure and has that ability when it comes to 1v1s (something that most good centre-backs developing in French football have had).
Why are Tottenham interested in Tylel Tati?
We have seen this new sporting structure at Tottenham, which is led by Johan Lange and Vinai Venkatesham behind the scenes and backed by Thomas Frank on the pitch. It is a system which is heavily focused on building a development pipeline for young players and developing them to their potential through the corridors at Hotspur Way.
And that was also seen in the fact that Tottenham did bring in a couple of other teenage centre backs in Kota Takai and Luka Vuskovic. It shows that Tottenham see value in bringing defenders through the doors early, and then they want to give these talents time and space to grow within the environment at N17 rather than overpaying after they establish their ceiling elsewhere.
Given that Tottenham have Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven starting at the heart of defence. This duo is one of the most reliable centre-back pairings in England. And that’s why Tottenham have the luxury of time. The next logical step is to add depth behind them and then prepare for the future without immediate pressure.
And that is where Tati, like Vuskovic, can follow a similar pathway where he is integrated at Hotspur Way before being loaned out to development at a suited club. Once he is hitting his stride, he can be given a gradual first-team introduction.
Tottenham have Thomas Frank at the helm, and the Danish head coach has a proven track record at Brentford, especially when it comes to developing defenders. From Ethan Pinnock to Ben Mee and Nathan Collins.
So it would be ideal for Tati to come in and get himself developed into his potential under Frank.
Where does Tylel fit into the current Tottenham structure?
Tottenham have evolved into a defensively solid yet fluid team since Thomas Frank took over the reins at N17. The Dane head coach is known to alternate between a 4-2-3-1 and a 3-4-2-1 system depending on the opposition that Tottenham face.
And the teenager’s ability to play centrally or slightly wider makes him a perfect tactical fit for this hybrid system currently deployed at Tottenham. The comfort that he has in stepping out with the ball is quite likeVan de Ven’s role on the left side, and given his right-footed balance, he could naturally slot into the Romero role in the future.
Tottenham face competition from a PL trio for Tylel Tati
But Tottenham will face quite some competition to secure his signature, with Arsenal said to be tracking him as Mikel Arteta looks to build beyond just William Saliba and his RCB backup, Cristian Mosquera.
Liverpool are also said to be interested, given that Arne Slot is looking to prepare for the long term in his backline. And then there is Manchester United, who are looking to bring in defensive reinforcements as they lie thin at the back.
But that being said, Tottenham do have a clear advantage. Given the players and the managers at other clubs, the Lilywhites have more of a clear pathway to first-team football. Tottenham can give that development structure which has already proven successful with the likes of Bergvall and Vuskovic (to a certain extent).
Author Opinion
Tylel Tati is precisely the kind of target that Tottenham should be looking to pursue. He is not only young but also technically modern and tactically intelligent. And while he wouldn’t come in as an immediate starter, he would be more of a long-term project with the potential to possibly be an integral figure at N17 for the next ten years.
If Tottenham can jump early and show him that they have a clear development plan at Hotspur Way, they can once again outwit their Premier League counterparts. It will be much like what the North Londoners did to sign Luka Vuskovic and Lucas Bergvall.
The North Londoners have been handling their recruitment wisely of late, and Tylel Tati can be the next gem through the doors at Hotspur Way. Someone who has the capacity to take over the reins from Cristian Romero for the position in central defence in the long term.
