Soccer Football - FA Cup Third Round - Tottenham Hotspur v Portsmouth - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - January 7, 2023 Tottenham Hotspur's Japhet Tanganga reacts Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs
Tottenham are facing ‘huge interest’ in defender Japhet Tanganga as seven clubs eye a late move for him, according to Sky Sports.
The Lowdown: Spurs outgoings…
Spurs have already signed Netherlands international Arnaut Danjuma on loan and look set to seal a move for Sporting Lisbon wing-back Pedro Porro in the January transfer window.
However, in order to balance their books, the north Londoners may need to offload certain players and make room in their Premier League squad.
The likes of Bryan Gil and Djed Spence have been tipped to potentially leave north London before Tuesday’s deadline, but according to Sky Sports, another Tottenham player is now attracting ‘huge interest’.
The Latest: Tanganga in major demand…
According to Dharmesh Sheth (via Sky Sports’ Transfer Blog [Friday, 19:53]), Tanganga is wanted by as many as seven clubs in England, the Bundesliga and further abroad in Turkey.
Sheth explains that the 23-year-old is a ‘valuable commodity’ for Antonio Conte given his brilliant attitude and versatility to cover across Spurs’ backline. As a result, the Lilywhites want to keep him and are reluctant to do a deal this month.
The Verdict: Sensible decision…
It is perhaps a good decision to keep hold of Tanganga, precisely because he can cover a variety of positions and injuries can seriously handicap a squad of Tottenham’s size.
Spurs are still firmly in the chase for Champions League qualification for the second successive campaign, and Conte will want as much depth as possible for the second half of the Premier League season.
However, from the player’s perspective, it must be a frustrating call by the club. The 23-year-old has only been selected by Conte once in the current top-flight campaign, playing 67 league minutes in total, whilst being granted just 17 minutes in the Champions League (WhoScored).
At the start of 2021/22, Tanganga was praised for keeping a lid on the likes of Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling in a Man of the Match performance for Spurs against Manchester City. Since then, however, he has had few long runs in the first team, and we believe that a loan exit would be beneficial for his development.
Of course, it’s understandable why Spurs want to keep hold of him mid-season, but Tanganga’s high demand sums up why he should be given a chance more often by Conte.
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