Should Tottenham Hotspur sign Jonathan Tah regardless of Toby Alderweireld’s plans?
The Mirror has reported that Tottenham Hotspur have lined up Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Jonathan Tah as a replacement for Toby Alderweireld if the Belgian leaves Spurs this summer.
Alderweireld’s future in North London is in doubt as Tottenham have so far failed to tie him down to a long-term contract extension, and it looks like their interest in Tah – valued at £35 million – hinges on what happens with the former Atletico Madrid stalwart, but should it?
Mauricio Pochettino has a number of quality centre-halves at his disposal, though an argument could be made that Jan Vertonghen is the best of the bunch.
But Alderweireld’s Belgium team-mate turns 31 in April and surely he will regress into a less effective defender for the Lilywhites within a year or two, so signing 22-year-old Tah might be justified irrespective of how the Alderweireld saga pans out.
Pochettino also has Juan Foyth, an £8 million signing last summer, and although the young Argentine is a long-term project, he is for now unproven and overlooking Tah on the basis that Foyth could be brilliant is a bit of a gamble, given that the 20-year-old has looked suspect against League One sides this season.
Vertonghen has been an outstanding servant for Tottenham down the years, but age is something he cannot defend against and it makes sense for Spurs to plan for his decline.
If Tah is available, chairman Daniel Levy need not wait to discover Alderweireld’s plans.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
