Tottenham Hotspur ended deadline day without signing a centre back, but that doesn’t mean that the chase is over for Jose Mourinho and co.
Spurs were heavily linked with Milan Skriniar, but weren’t able to secure a deal. That meant that they shifted their priority from an instant star to a player they can mould.
Sky Sports reported on deadline day that Spurs were in talks to sign Swansea City defender Joe Rodon, with a fee between £7million and £18million being discussed.
The 22-year-old has impressed in the Championship, and with more than a week to sign him given the October 16th deadline to sign EFL players, Rodon does fit the bill for Tottenham.
Intriguingly, Sky Sports (05/10, 23:23) reported that Spurs had another centre back target in mind, meaning they were again looking to the Championship for reinforcements.
Who could that mystery player be? Only a couple of players seem to fit the bill, in terms of being a talent that Tottenham can mould and develop like Rodon.
One of them is his Welsh international teammate Chris Mepham. The Bournemouth man impressed in the Championship with Brentford, but only made 25 Premier League appearances for the Cherries following a January 2019 move.
Mepham, 22, is now more important for the Cherries with Nathan Ake gone, and the London-born ace could make some sense for Spurs; he stands at 6ft 3in tall, he’s composed on the ball and physically impressive, which Mourinho would value.
The other player that could fit the bill is Middlesbrough’s Dael Fry, who was a target for Tottenham last year according to a report from TEAMtalk.
Fry is of a similar age to Rodon at 23, and a similar frame at 6ft 3in tall. He’s strong and impressive in the air, whilst also having impressive mobility for his size, meaning it would be no surprise if he is on the Spurs radar again.
Few other Championship players look to make sense for Spurs, so don’t be surprised if Mepham or Fry join Rodon on the Tottenham radar, with just over a week to bring in a new centre back.
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