Three signings Tottenham should make before the end of the summer

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Jonathan Tah

Spurs’ defensive duo of Alderweireld and Vertonghen dominated the League last year with typical Flemish flair. However, Vertonghen’s training ground injury at the Euros means he’s unlikely to start at Goodison Park. While Wimmer filled in admirably during Vertonghen’s midseason absence, his quality is coming under doubt. The ex-Cologne man failed to get into a mediocre Austrian defense at Euro 2016, despite coach Marcel Koller preferring to field three center-backs. Spurs’ defensive performances in preseason have been abject, the debacle against Juve particularly worrying. Even when Vertonghen does return, the quality of Spurs’ opposition in the Champions League will demand a greater pool of defensive talent capable of the rigors of European football.

Poch could do a lot worse than sign Jonathan Tah to alleviate these concerns. A player of the pedigree of the Bayer Leverkusen center-back would demand more than a rotation role, and Spurs’ crammed fixture list would be able to accommodate his demands while maintaining the first choice Vertonghen-Alderweireld partnership. With Tah’s presence, Poch could rest Vertonghen for midweek fixtures while maintaining a high defensive standard. Vertonghen will be the wrong side of thirty next April, and while we’ve seen aging center-backs come into their own in their later years (Barzagli a prime example), injuries have begun to hamper the Belgian’s availability if not his effectiveness.

Tah would bring stature and brute strength to the Lilywhite rear guard, the German’s 1.92 meter frame imposing even by Premier League standards. His ball-playing ability is decent for a big man, and at 20 years of age the German international still has room to mature. A long term replacement for Vertonghen, Tah could immediately step into the fold as his backup, and ensure Spurs don’t miss a beat in this intensely competitive league.