da bet esporte： In today’s Tottenham Hotspur roundup, we take a look at the news doing the rounds for the Lilywhites. A.C Milan are reportedly after Serge Aurier, Mauricio Pochettino is keeping an eye on centre-back Dael Fry, and the Argentine is unconvinced in offering Jan Vertonghen a new deal.
Milan want Aurier
da leao： Report: According to Sports Mediaset, Italian giants Milan are after the Spurs right-back as a replacement for Andrea Conti and Davide Calabria.
Verdict: Spurs cannot afford to sell Aurier after letting Kieran Trippier leave to Atletico Madrid. The Ivory Coast international has started Spurs’ last two Premier League games and has subsequently registered an impressive 7.20 performance rating and one assist (as per WhoScored). The 26-year-old was also desperately unlucky to have his sweet strike chalked off against Leicester City, as Son Heung-min was marginally offside.
Other than Aurier, Spurs have invested time in Kyle Walker-Peters, who has played three times for Spurs in the league this season, but with the loss of Trippier, it is essential the Lilywhites keep hold of Aurier and use him as the main right-back, considering Walker-Peters’ inexperience.
Poch unconvinced in new Vertonghen deal
Report: Football Insider reports that Pochettino is unconvinced Jan Vertonghen should get a new deal after his performances so far this season.
Verdict: The Belgian has been a massive player at Spurs for six years, but it seems this season that the Argentine is preparing for life without him, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season. Over the six years, Vertonghen has been included in the PFA Team of the Year in 2012-13 and in 2017-18 and also played in 289 games – the most of any outfield player in the Spurs squad.
Perhaps this year the 32-year-old is not at the standard he once was, completing just 1.3 tackles per game and conceding four goals in the three games he has played against Arsenal, Crystal Palace, and Leicester City. However, unless Pochettino has an alternative lined up, it wouldn’t be wise to sell him considering Davinson Sanchez would be the only senior alternative.
Spurs ready to battle for Fry
Report: As reported by TEAMtalk, Middlesbrough are fearing they could lose centre-back Dael Fry, with Manchester City, Everton, Wolves, and Spurs all interested in the 22-year-old.
Verdict: For Spurs, this would be a great signing considering Spurs’ options at the back, as alluded to in the Vertonghen report. This season, Fry has been handed the captains armband by Jonathan Woodgate, and although playing just three games so far, the defender has scored a performance rating of 7.16 and found himself a regular within the squad for a number of years.
As the reports suggest, Fry could cost Spurs just £20m, and with Boro not in a strong position to decline such an offer, it is maybe a deal worth investing in. Elsewhere, champions Man City may also bid highly for the defender considering the injuries to John Stones and Aymeric Laporte.