Tottenham should consider signing a Premier League centre-back this summer.
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Tottenham could get the chance to add an experienced operator to their back line this summer. Spurs are in the process of recruiting this month currently, with Conor Gallagher snapped up, young full-back Souza expected to follow and another signing or two likely to be in the offing.
The North London club need bodies and fast after misfortune with injuries, with Mohammed Kudus and Rodrigo Bentancur out for at least a couple of months, which Richarlison has picked up a fresh concern.
Spurs also decided to sell Brennan Johnson early in the window, which now looks like a very bad idea given their lack of options at the top end of the pitch. And all of that has come at a bad time for Thomas Frank, who is already under real pressure to turn things around, with his side currently stuck in the bottom half of the table.
Tottenham are on course to back-to-back bottom half finishes, although they can still turn things around, currently only five points behind the final European spot. Though, they are going to have to find consistency and soon if they want to eat up that gap and force themselves into European contention.
Tottenham should consider Liverpool star
One player Tottenham should be considering signing in the summer is Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate. The centre-back is out of contract at Anfield and does not appear to be in line for a new contract.
David Ornstein wrote for The Athletic this week: “Liverpool seem to be among those keeping their powder dry for the next market, when Ibrahima Konate is on track to exit due to his contract expiring. There has been no breakthrough on new terms. That, plus the deals of Virgil van Dijk and Gomez ending 12 months later, means the heart of defence will be an area of focus.”
Konate has a wealth of experience, winning a Premier League titles and a number of other titles since arriving in 2021, and he is still only 26 years of age. The centre-back hasn’t always looked at Liverpool’s level, facing criticism at times, be he is certainly a top four or five player, and potentially available for free, Konate would be a steal.
Back in 2021, Jurgen Klopp said of Konate, who he signed: “You can see he is incredibly talented,’ said Klopp when asked to assess the impact of the France international centre-half. The potential is outstanding. He is used to winning challenges easy. He is young and he played a really good game. Massive. First home game for him.
“You want the team to watch the games and see what we do. We need to have experience from what we see. And he did really well. So much potential. He will get better. Today, against Benteke and Edouard and Zaha, there were situations where it is new for him. Step by step.”
Spurs currently have Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven as their primary centre-back options, but beyond those players, their options are limited, with Ben Davies expected to leave at the end of this season, while Radu Dragusin could well leave this month.
There are no guarantees that Romero and/or Van de Ven will stay beyond this summer, either, with both likely to be in demand. A sizable wage offer for Konate would be a wise move, especially with experienced Premier League defenders rarely becoming available at the age of 26 - and indeed for free.