The defender was seemingly on the verge of a move to Tottenham Hotspur in 2014.
Approximately two weeks after Tottenham Hotspur’s £17 million move for Villarreal centre-back Mateo Musacchio fell through, as reported by The Telegraph, Federico Fazio arrived at White Hart Lane.
And while it is fair to say the treacle-treading ex-Sevilla defender did not enjoy the easiest of transitions to the rapid pace of English football, his Argentine compatriot has gone from strength to strength for the Yellow Submarines, overcoming a horrific ankle injury to become one of La Liga’s most consistent defenders at the heart of a watertight Villarreal backline.
Thus, The Mirror report that Spurs’ London rivals Chelsea are hoping to pip AC Milan, who were on the verge of signing Musacchio last summer, to the 26-year-old’s signature with a £21 million bid in the pipeline.
A three-man backline is a seldom seen tactic in Spain, meaning Musacchio, potentially a long-term Gary Cahill replacement, will need to adapt his game if he is to finally make the move to London.
However, three years on, would Tottenham be making a mistake just sitting back and letting the four-time international sign on the dotted line at their geographical and top of the table rivals?
Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld are the finest centre-back partnership in the league on paper and, with just 18 goals conceded all season, Spurs have the best defensive record in the top flight.
Nonetheless, if Tottenham are realistic about fighting on both domestic and European fronts, they must improve their squad depth, especially with The Standard claiming that Spurs will listen to offers for Kevin Wimmer in the summer.
Musacchio would represent a superb option and an excellent addition to the overall squad, meaning Vertonghen or Alderweireld could be rested with little concern.
Whether the Argentine would be happy waiting around for his opportunity, however, is another matter entirely.
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