Spurs have been linked with a transfer deal for a talented defender in the mould of Micky van de Ven - but so have Liverpool.
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Tottenham Hotspur have had an up and down time of it since Thomas Frank took charge. Their away form has been stellar and their league form considerably better than it was last season, but they are struggling to win at home and were jeered from the field following last weekend’s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea. There is still plenty of room for improvement.
A slew of injuries presents a good excuse for Spurs’ attacking struggles so far this season, but despite having a strong back four on paper, only five teams in the top flight have conceded a higher total of expected goals. They have been getting a little lucky at the back, and need to tighten up before they revert back to the mean, as most teams ultimately do.
The January transfer window offers some opportunities to improve, of course. While there are very few criticisms that can be levelled at Spurs’ starting centre-backs, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, their back-ups have not been convincing when called upon. That may explain why the club has been linked with a move for a young centre-back who has been impressive in the Bundesliga – and who has been compared favourably with Van de Ven himself.
Why Spurs may be targeting Konstantinos Koulierakis – and why he’s been compared to Micky van de Ven
The comparison with Van de Ven is partly because Koulierakis is playing at VfL Wolfsburg, the same side with which the Dutchman made his name before moving to Spurs, but their playing styles have certain similarities as well.
Like Van de Ven, Koulierakis is aggressive and effective in one-on-one situations, a strong passer and a willing runner with the ball – not that he’s yet managed to score a goal after dribbling from his own half, as Van de Ven did against FC København last week.
That isn’t the only area in which he has yet to quite reach Van de Ven’s standards, as one might imagine given his relative inexperience. He can be rash in the tackle, as neatly demonstrated when he needlessly gave away a penalty against Hamburg recently, and while his passing is good it lacks the precision of the very best ball-playing defenders, especially over long range.
There are some ways in which he could perhaps exceed Van de Ven, however. He’s already slightly better in the air, although there is still room for improvement in the way he leverages his size and strength, and he’s already carrying the ball more frequently and more successfully. The student could, perhaps, better the master one day.
For now, Spurs would most likely see Koulierakis as a back-up to Van de Ven and future competition – and, maybe, an upgrade on players like Kevin Danso and Radu Dragusin, who have not quite lived up to expectations in North London thus far. But how reliable are the stories linking them with Koulierakis, are they likely to strike a deal in January, and will they face competition for his signature from Liverpool?
Will Spurs sign Koulierakis in January?
Although several media outlets have now covered the story linking Spurs with a bid for Koulierakis, the primary source for the story appears to be TBR Football, who first published their report into Spurs’ interest on Wednesday.
As it stands, none of the most reliable media sources in England or Germany have yet reported on any interest, so this is a story which needs further corroboration – but there certainly seems to be strong indications that Spurs are in the market for another defender.
Spurs have had their name connected with a number of centre-halves in recent weeks, such as Inter Milan’s Yann Bisseck, and could very well make a move over the winter, but not only is it difficult to discern which of the rumours suggest genuine targets for the club and which are wide of the mark, but it’s hard to say with any certainty that their defence is the priority when Frank is also believed to be chasing a new striker and a central midfielder.
Even if they do decide to expend their resources on a defender this winter and do indeed target Koulierakis specifically, they could face competition, with Liverpool – down to the bare bones at the back and potentially in need of a long-term replacement for Ibrahima Konaté – also said to be interested.
Koulierakis has the quality and potential to be worthy of investment by sides like Spurs and Liverpool, but thus far none of the reports regarding his future have hinted at a formal offer being made imminently or suggested what the finances of such a deal might be. He is under contract until 2029, so Wolfsburg have no incentive to sell him cheap, and a deal could stretch relatively scarce January resources.
Spurs are likely to be busier than most Premier League teams over the winter and they may well be keeping a close eye on Koulierakis, a gifted player whose profile and playing style matches Spurs’ methods – but that doesn’t make a deal in the immediate future especially likely. This is a transfer that most certainly could take place, but we’re not close to a point at which it becomes a probability.