Tottenham should have tried to sign ‘astonishing’ centre-back who was available for £19m this summer – opinion

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Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte may have already added a centre-back after signing Barcelona’s Clement Lenglet on loan, but the club could still be in the market for another defender.

With Spurs reportedly holding talks with AC Milan for Japhet Tanganga, Conte may need to add another centre-back to his squad. They had targeted Alessandro Bastoni and Josko Gvardiol but both seem unlikely at this point.

And a cheaper option would have been Ranger’s defender Calvin Bassey, who’s nearing a move to Dutch champions Ajax for a fee of £18.7 million (Sky Sports).

Tottenham should have signed Calvin Bassey

The Leicester academy product joined Rangers on a free transfer back in 2020 and enjoyed a real breakthrough season at the Scottish club last year. Due to his pace and aggressive playing style, he would have been the perfect fit for Conte’s backline at Spurs.

The Nigerian International played 50 games for Rangers last season, and assisted six times. He was particularly brilliant in the club’s run to the Europa League final. 

Bassey can also be deployed as a left-back as well as a central defender and his crossing is a key strength in his game, something the Italian Spurs boss would have loved.

Bassey also fits Tottenham’s usual player profile and at just 22 years of age, he has plenty of scope to improve and become a top defender. Although Spurs have moved away slightly from signing younger players under Conte, the imminent signing of Djed Spence shows they are still on the lookout for prospects.

There’s no doubt that the ‘astonishing’ Bassey will become a great signing for Ajax. As the young defender continues to gain experience and play Champions League football for the Dutch side, he’ll only keep improving.

You can’t help but wonder how well he would have fit in Conte’s side on the left side of the back three, or even at wing-back due to his versatility. If he does well in Holland, maybe it’s a deal that Spurs could explore in the future.