According to a report from Ed Aarons of the Guardian, Davinson Sanchez is headed to North London to take a physical and sign with Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs agreed to a £28 million fee + £14 million in add-ons. The total will make Davinson the largest transfer signing in Spurs history. Reportedly, Sanchez and Spurs agreed personal terms earlier in the week.
Understand Tottenham have agreed a deal worth a potential £42m for Davinson Sanchez #thfc
— Ed Aarons (@ed_aarons) August 17, 2017
Tottenham Agrees on Fee and On Personal Terms with Davinson Sanchez
Key Attributes
A young, strong and pacey defender, Sanchez ensures that the squad remains young and athletic. With the departure of Kyle Walker, pace is missing at the club, and this young Colombian centre-back can help provide that.
In terms of his playing style, Sanchez operates as a ball playing centre-back. Thus, just like Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen, he is able to play out from the back, helping to contribute to the attack. There have been some criticisms of the lapses of concentrations he sometimes suffers, although he often recovers the ball.
At 6 feet 2 inches he is a tall and powerful player, able to compete in this increasingly physical league. Most recently, Spurs bested a spirited Newcastle side 2-0, a match battled with real venom. There were many robust challenges and some blatant targeting of certain players. Thus, the physical side of the game remains ever relevant and important.
The Ajax Expats
Sanchez joins an ever-growing list of Ajax players to move to Tottenham. In the current squad, Christian Eriksen, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld have all made the same journey that Sanchez has. This firstly is an indicator of a good signing. Whilst it is sometimes risky to purchase players from overseas, Ajax is a football club that trains the young players well in how to play the game with style. As a result, Tottenham are sourcing their players from a club quite similar to their own ideology of exciting, beautiful football.
Furthermore, having already made the journey from the Eredivisie to the Premier League, there are many players whom Sanchez can bond with. Settling in can be a long process, but the likes of Eriksen and Vertonghen can help ease him into the Tottenham way.
Interestingly, Sanchez could form an entire ex-Ajax back three with Alderweireld and Vertonghen. Whilst they did not play together, the level of football understanding should still be very high. After all, they were all taught at the same club. Thus, this should mean that they all can quickly adapt to the new member of the team and anticipate his movements on the pitch.
Sanchez was Ajax’s player of the year last season.
Wimmer’s Future
Kevin Wimmer is a centre-back of great promise, but one that is featuring very little for the club. Unsurprisingly, it is impossible to eclipse the likes of Vertonghen and Alderweireld, but even in a back three, the likes of Eric Dier have often been favoured. It appears as though he is surplus to requirements at the club, and with the transfer of Sanchez is likely to get even less playing time. Of course, it is a waste of a talented player to keep him without minutes, on a bench. But, if for some reason Pochettino does not wish to select Wimmer, whether for fitness, skill level or suitability to tactics, then it would be best to let him go.
There are already some rumours in the Telegraph that Spurs and West Brom are working on a deal for Wimmer.
Verdict
Davinson Sanchez is a quality young signing for Tottenham, worth the long wait in this transfer window. This is primarily due to his fantastic football education after graduating from Ajax’s youth setup. But, he is also a fantastic player in regards to his physicality, with more than enough strength to compete.
Main Photo:
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