Lilywhites could ruthlessly dump England international by promoting exciting academy figure.
After a hectic summer of transfers for Tottenham Hotspur, new manager Ange Postecoglou has started to put his stamp on proceedings, completing nine deals in the last window, also moving on a number of first team assets in the process , a sort of red team. some wine.
Players such as Harry Winks, Davinson Sanchez, Joe Rodon, Djed Spence, Japhet Tanganga and Tanguy Ndombele have all received multiple loans and permanent departures from the N17, with Postecoglou leaving the club after a poor 2022/23 season. The ax in hand ranks eighth.
However, despite these notable departures, there still appear to be a handful of rather ‘undesirable’ players in north London, with veteran goalkeeper Hugo Lloris unable to find a new home despite being left out of the squad. pre-season.
Likewise, the Lilywhites appear to be reliant on another long-serving player, England international Eric Dier, with the 29-year-old – who has just one year left on his current deal – unable to seal a late transfer despite an apparent exceedance of requirements. .
With the former Sporting CP star having fallen down the pecking order since arriving in the dugout, it appears Postecoglou will prefer to rely on alternative options to keep pace with Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.
What happened to Eric Dier at Tottenham?
As a player who has made 360 appearances for Spurs in all competitions over the last nine years, it was a surprise that Postecoglou has given the veteran centre-back the cold shoulder in recent times.
Currently not in the former Celtic’s plans – having been left out of every squad so far this season – the £85,000-a-week asset was among the players the club are said to have been looking to sell this summer, even if no movement took place. .
With the deadline having passed, there are reports that Dier will have to leave in January, with journalist Ryan Taylor saying last season that the defender was “far from the level required for what Spurs want to achieve”.
Having been part of a defensive line that scored a dismal 63 league goals last season despite injury, it appears the 6ft 2in idiot is paying the price for his recent misfortunes whilst at the same time suffering from the decision of Postecoglou to move away from the previous 3-4-3 formation that was favored under Antonio Conte. Eric Dier’s Premier League record (2022/23)
Dier’s shortcomings as part of a flatback four were highlighted during the pre-season friendly with Barcelona, with football.london’s Alasdair Gold writing that the forgotten man “looked shaky at times” against the Catalan giants.
With the Englishman sidelined of late, Romero and Van de Ven remained the only obvious options at the heart of the defence, with due attention ahead of another long and grueling season.
Who could replace Dier at Tottenham?
Postecoglou, of course, also has Ben Davies to call upon as something of a makeshift option at centre-back, although like Dier the Welshman is typically deployed as part of a three-man defence, whilst also likely to be the centre-back. Destiny Udogie’s main rival at left back.
This means summer signing Ashley Phillips – who signed a £2m deal from Blackburn Rovers – is likely to make a quick transition from life in the second division, with the 18-year-old already training with the first division. team selection in North London.
Although he is still a teenager, the youngster has recently received rave reviews for his talents, giving hope that he can be counted on this season.
Former Rovers boss Tony Mowbray described him as an “incredible footballer” in 2021.
However, Phillips may not be the only teenage talent Postecoglou could turn to, with young talent Charlie Sayers also attracting attention with his outstanding performances at youth level in recent times.
Who is Charlie Sayers?
The 19-year-old is still awaiting his competitive first-team debut since signing from Southend United in December 2021, although the versatile star – who can also play at left-back – already has first-team experience for his former employers. after six appearances in the National League.
The verdict at the time was that Southend had real talent, with Sayers receiving praise from his then boss Phil Brown, who told The Echo:
“I think Charlie Sayers has been exceptional and it has to be said that he has a career ahead of him, there is no doubt about that. He now has two games under his belt, but will he make any mistakes at 17? Absolutely. But on Tuesday, he had a team to protect him.
This glowing assessment was also followed by some kind words from head coach Kevin Maher after confirming his move to Spurs:
“He has broken into the team this season and playing in a very tough league at the age of 17 years old shows a lot of character. He has a mature head for his young age and I hope he can take that forward.
After signing his first professional contract for the club in March 2022, Sayers was also selected for the interim match against Motherwell during the World Cup break last year.
Club insider John Wenham said it was a sign of “rapid progress”. ”, which was achieved by probably “the best defender in the club’s academy”.
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