Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite is the biggest name on Tottenham’s defensive shortlist
Tottenham Hotspur are looking for reinforcements at the back in this January’s transfer window after a major injury crisis in that department this season.
It’s been a challenging campaign for Ange Postecoglou so far, having had to deal with several injuries. Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies have spent months on the sidelines, forcing the Spurs boss to use young midfielder Archie Gray as a makeshift centre-back. And while Gray has done well, the frailties at the back have been exposed almost in every game.
Thus, it isn’t surprising that the North London giants have been linked with several central defenders in recent weeks, one of those being Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite. According to a report from TEAMtalk, Tottenham admire Jarrad Branthwaite but enticing him from Goodison Park midway through the season will be challenging.
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Everton priced Manchester United out of a move for the English defender in the summer by quoting £80million. They are set to demand a similar fee to even consider selling the 22-year-old as the Toffees don’t want to lose him in the midst of their battle against relegation.
The aforementioned report adds that Branthwaite is at the apex of Spurs’ defensive shortlist, although they do have other more reasonable and realistic options as well.
The Lilywhites, who have already signed young goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky from Slavia Prague last week, are working on a limited budget. After addressing the goalkeeper problem, they are likely to move to reinforce other positions with a forward on the agenda. Spurs are trying their best to sign Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani on loan as an option to rotate with Dominic Solanke.
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As a result, Tottenham potentially will not have the required funds to spend big on a defender—someone in the ilk of Branthwaite, who is valued by Everton at £80million. Keeping that in mind, it makes sense for Daniel Levy and Johan Lange to consider cheaper and more realistic alternatives to the Everton star.
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Borussia Monchengladbach’s Ko Itakura is also on the club’s defensive shortlist. The Japanese international would cost around £15million in this transfer window and is interestingly open to joining Ange Postecoglou’s forces at N17. To add some much-needed quality depth to our defensive ranks, the chiefs at the Hotspur Way must go all out to sign Itakura.
