In a transfer piece for Football.London, journalist Colin Millar has tipped Spurs to go for Benfica starlet Tomas Tavares as a defensive transfer option following Danny Rose’s reported unrest in north London, with the versatile right-back capable of also playing on the left.
Tavares, who enjoyed a stellar 2019/20 season in Portugal, making 25 appearances in all competitions, has been linked with a move to Spurs over the last fortnight, despite the club’s acquisition of full-back Matt Doherty from Wolves in a £15m deal.
The 19-year-old, who has also shone at left-back for Benfica, is currently valued at around £9m by his club, potentially marking the teenager out as a signing that Daniel Levy and co would be happy to pursue.
As manager Jose Mourinho looks to strengthen his full-back options this summer, Tavares represents a bargain buy in an otherwise difficult market to navigate, with the financial impact of a global pandemic hindering transfer activity.
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The Athletic reported that Spurs had to borrow £175m from the Bank of England to cope with revenue losses and the club will consequently be prioritising free agents, loan deals and bargain swoops.
Millar has now highlighted Tavares as a player who could fall into the latter category whilst providing serious strength in depth.
Tottenham currently have Rose, Japhet Tanganga and Ben Davies who can play at left-back, but the latter could well be their only natural option for 2020/2021.
Whilst Rose is seeking a move away, Tanganga is arguably more adept as a right-sided centre-half, with Tavares now being tipped as a signing who can ease the potential future burden in that position.
Whether or not Spurs opt to follow through on their alleged interest remains to be seen, but he could be one to watch out for, especially going by Millar’s verdict.
Lilywhites, do your club need a left-back this summer? Have your say in the comments below…
