JUST IN – Tottenham eyeing another defender move after Dragusin for £100m rated ‘monster’ who’s believed to be more clinical than Romero but Levy thinks his price tag is too much.
Tottenham Hotspur can rest assured that chairman Daniel Levy has made good on his promise to Ange Postecoglou to strengthen the ranks, welcoming Radu Dragusin and Timo Werner to the fold.
A stunning start to affairs under their new manager this term placed Spurs in untimely title contention but a lack of depth, laid bare in November following a deluge of injuries and suspensions, pulled the club away from the forefront of the Premier League.
Now fighting for a spot back in the top four, fifth-placed Tottenham have indeed made requisite improvements this month, and while a midfielder is still pursued, Postecoglou has shifted partial attention to the summer transfer window.
Spurs search for another defender
Dragusin joined from Genoa in a £27m package a few weeks ago but Eric Dier was sold to Bayern Munich and Tottenham would welcome another centre-back to fortify the backline for years to come.
As such, reports have filtered through concerning Postecoglou’s growing interest in Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite, with 90min now revealing that the London club could make their move in the summer.
The report claims that Spurs are considering a swoop for the towering titan, who they have a concrete interest in, but will only make their move at the end of the season, rather than this window.
Valued at a staggering £100m by the Toffees, Branthwaite has been immense this season and thus attracted attention from top outfits such as Real Madrid, so Spurs have their work cut out in convincing the 21-year-old gem to join their project.
Jarrad Branthwaite could surpass Cristian Romero
A colossus at 6 foot 5, Branthwaite honed his craft on loan with Dutch side PSV Eindhoven last season before returning to Merseyside in the summer to aid Sean Dyche’s attempt to restore Everton’s verve.
And while Branthwaite was an unused substitute across both of Everton’s opening top-flight fixtures of the campaign, he has since started 18 of the 19 fixtures (missing one match due to suspension) and been hailed as a “revelation” by journalist Suleyman Ozturk.
As per Sofascore, Branthwaite has averaged 2.1 tackles, 6.4 ball recoveries, and 4.7 clearances per game in the league this term and has also come out on top in 67% of his contested duels, lauded as a “monster” defender by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
With elite performances denoting his potential to bloom into one of the Premier League’s finest defenders, Branthwaite would be a stunning capture down N17 and could even come to surpass Cristian Romero in the Tottenham rearguard.
The Argentinian ace has risen to the fore in the English capital since signing from Serie A competitors Atalanta for £42m back in 2021, praised as “best defender in the world” by compatriot Lionel Messi last year.
As per FBref, Romero ranks among the top 11% of central defenders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 12% for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for pass completion and passes attempted, and the top 5% for tackles per 90.
Cristian Romero. Pick that one out.@CutiRomero2 🔥 pic.twitter.com/kOkhb10tRi
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 2, 2023
Clearly, he is a pretty decent member of Postecoglou’s backline and, reckless streak notwithstanding, has almost been infallible in his duties this term, vital in Tottenham’s resurgence.
The 26-year-old’s Achilles heel comes in the form of his aggression, both a blessing and a curse, and with no assurances that he will avoid the violent glare of the red card, signing a rising titan in Branthwaite could be the difference-maker in the fight for silverware over the coming years.
Branthwaite already ranks among the top 15% of positional peers for tackles and the top 14% for interceptions per 90 and has only conceded 28 Premier League goals this season – three fewer than the Lilywhites, which suggests that he could play a part in improving the club’s defensive record.
Postecoglou would sign a true world-beater in the making in Branthwaite, and given his meteoric rise since returning to his parent club in the summer, the facilities and project at Tottenham could guide him closer still to the apex of the game, cementing his stature as one of Europe’s finest.
Therefore, he could surpass Romero, who is four years older, in North London with more experience and development to come his way further down the line over the years to come.
