Tottenham Hotspur are in talks with Southampton over signing centre-back Jannik Vestergaard, according to Gary Jacob of The Times. Spurs want to sign two centre-backs in this window to give them the option of playing a three-at-the-back formation, something new manager Nuno Espirito Santo used to good effect at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Vestergaard has also played in that formation for Denmark, who are currently preparing for a Euro 2020 semi-final against England at Wembley tomorrow night.
Tottenham in Talks to Sign Jannik Vestergaard
Defensive Re-Shape
Spurs currently possess Joe Rodon, Toby Alderweireld, Eric Dier and Davinson Sanchez in the centre-back positions. However, Alderweireld has reportedly told the club of his desire to leave, and there could yet be more departures, with Dier and Sanchez having endured difficult seasons in 2020/21.
The club are also in talks with Bologna over a deal for Japan centre-back Takehiro Tomiyasu and retain an interest in Vestergaard’s Denmark teammate Joachim Andersen, who spent last season on loan at Fulham from French side Lyon.
Signing at least two defenders would give Spurs options with how to set out their team. Incoming boss Espirito Santo found great success at Wolves deploying three-centre backs with wing-backs. Repeating this at Spurs could see Matt Doherty return to his best form too. He struggled to play as part of a back four under Jose Mourinho when his skills, really, lie as a wing-back.
Vestergaard has been at Southampton since 2018 having joined for £18 million from Borussia Monchengladbach. The Saints would want more than they originally paid to consider selling the Dane on. Andersen, meanwhile, has been valued at around £25 million by Lyon, according to Jacob’s report.
Spurs’ new director of football, Fabio Paratici, is doing the negotiating on all of the current deals, but the final decision is set to be made by Espirito Santo.
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