Tottenham are looking to bring in depth in defence, as Ange Postecoglou stabilises his squad
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Tottenham are eyeing an English centre-back as a January signing who can improve their squad.
The Lilywhites have been decimated at the back in recent weeks, with manager Ange Postecoglou losing first-choice defensive pairing Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven to suspension and injury respectively.
With Tottenham field four full-backs in defence in their recent draw with Manchester City, the need for more central defensive cover is obvious – and something they could be about to address.
Van de Ven's injury left Spurs short-staffed in defence (Image credit: Getty Images)
Ben Godfrey has played just one minute of Premier League football this season under Sean Dyche – but is apparently a Spurs target. The 25-year-old, who missed the first half of last season with a broken fibula, could help fill gaps in a Spurs squad that has been stretched by injuries recently.
According to 90Min, Tottenham also looked at Godfrey’s team-mate Jarrad Branthwaite but see him as a long-term target rather than a potential January arrival. Godfrey could leave Merseyside for around £20 million and Talksport have reported that signing a left-sided centre-back is Spurs’ priority in the mid-season window.
The north London club have picked up just one point in their last four games, ending a run of three straight defeats to Chelsea, Wolves and Aston Villa by drawing 3-3 at the Etihad in a thriller on Sunday. They face West Ham on Thursday night looking to move level with City in fourth place.
Godfrey has struggled for game time this season (Image credit: Getty)
Godfrey, who is valued at €13 million (£11m) by Transfermarkt, joined Everton from Norwich City in a deal worth up to £25m in October 2020. He was voted by fans as Everton’s Young Player of the Season in his debut campaign and earned two England caps in 2021.
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But the former Norwich man has now fallen out of favour, making 13 league appearances in an injury-hit 2022/23 season before being left on the bench for almost all of the current campaign.
Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. When not pulling on the FFT shirt, he can be found at Reuters, The Times and the i. An Italophile since growing up on a diet of Football Italia on Channel 4, he now counts himself among thousands of fans sharing a passion for Ross County and Lazio.
