As Tottenham’s defensive options struggle with injuries, Federico Fazio impresses at Roma.
Tottenham Hotspur were given an injury scare against Manchester City as Toby Alderweireld appeared to suffer a hamstring problem.
With Jan Vertonghen recently sustaining an Achilles injury, Tottenham’s defensive options are being stretched.
One player they discarded as not being suited to the team was Federico Fazio, who was sent on a season long loan to Roma.
Roma’s Federico Fazio celebrates scoring their second goal
He has settled in Rome, and impressed at the weekend with a man-of-the-match display in the team’s 1-0 win over Cagliari.
Roma boss Luciano Spalletti told Tuttomercatoweb after the win he regarded Fazio as undroppable.
Fazio made 11 successful clearances in the victory and four interceptions, flourishing as part of a three man defence alongside Antonio Rudiger and Kostas Manolas.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Federico Fazio
It is not likely that the Argentine has a future at Tottenham beyond the end of the season, with his style better suited to the slower pace of the Italian game, but as a reserve option, he could potentially have been worth keeping around.
Doing so may not really have been fair to the 29-year-old, who was not used at all last season in the league by Spurs before being sent out on loan to former side Sevilla for the second half of the season.
During that stint he helped the Spanish side win the Europa League, and Fazio’s Roma are just one point off the top of the Serie A table.
His success shows that Fazio is a better player than he was regarded as at Tottenham, and makes you wonder whether he could be of use to the club right now, and an asset, had he been given more chances by Pochettino.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
