Tottenham urged to make a move for Alexsandro Ribeiro
Tottenham Hotspur have been in utter mess for the majority part of the 2024/25 season, especially due to an unprecedented injury crisis.
The persistent injury problems have hugely affected the stability of the team during Ange Postecoglou’s second season in North London. Spurs have had a woeful Premier League campaign thus far. Though Ange Postecoglou and Co. have reached the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, they sit 14th in the Premier League table, having won just seven of their 21 games.
The Australian tactician’s squad has been decimated by injuries, particularly in their defence, with Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Ben Davies, Destiny Udogie and Guglielmo Vicario all having spent time on the sidelines. In central defence, he has no quality. For over a month now, Archie Gray has been paired with Radu Dragusin at the heart of Spurs’ defence, despite the former naturally being a central midfielder.
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It is clear that a long-term solution is needed, and the urgency to secure reinforcements in central defence has become paramount as the February 3 transfer deadline looms.
Now, European football expert Alex Barker has urged Tottenham to sign Lille’s Alexsandro Ribeiro this month. Speaking in a video for The Athletic, he feels the Brazilian would be an ideal fit for Postecoglou’s system at White Hart Lane, explaining the player’s qualities on and off the ball.
Barker has emphasised Alexsandro Ribeiro’s composure on the ball, defending in 1v1 situations and spaces, recovery pace and ability to win aerial duels. Despite being right-footed, the 25-year-old has often played as a left-sided centre-back, and thus it would not be wrong to term him as ambipedal. In that case, he could potentially provide cover for both Romero and Van de Ven whilst adding much-needed depth to the North Londoners’ defensive ranks.
Tottenham's injury crisis has exposed their lack of depth… and need to sign a centre-back.
Alexsandro Ribeiro could be a sensible transfer for the Spurs and a host of other clubs.#THFC pic.twitter.com/myipZEidsN
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) January 15, 2025
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Alexsandro has been with Lille since 2022, developing into one of their reliable players. He has made 93 appearances for the Ligue 1 side, scoring four goals and registering two assists. Contracted to Lille until June 2028 (Transfermarkt), it is not known yet whether they would be willing to let the South American leave in the midst of the season, especially considering his importance to Bruno Genesio’s side.
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The French outfit should be expected to battle to keep hold of Alexsandro until the end of the season, at least. They are in a commanding negotiating position due to the length of his contract as well, so Tottenham may well have to table a sizeable bid to persuade Lille to sell their star defender in this transfer window.
