Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing a young centre-back as a potential long-term replacement for Cristian Romero, according to a report.
Tottenham's defensive criticism
Since Ange Postecoglou's arrival at Tottenham in June 2023, an entertaining brand of football has been on offer, and the Australian has received praise from members of the media for introducing a style of play that is so easy on the eye:
However, a heavy focus on the attacking side of the game can come at a cost, and Paul Robinson has been critical of his former club's defensive structure under the helm of Postecoglou, saying:
“He changed the style of play and changed the way the fans view this team. However, people are getting frustrated because everybody watching the game can see it, they’re so wide open and the defensive frailties are there.There are silly mistakes as well which aren’t necessarily down to the manager, but the tactics and style of play are absolutely down to the manager.
"It’s the regularity with which Tottenham are conceding goals, that’s the issue. They leave the defence so exposed and they’re being found out, week-in-week-out. At some point, he’s going to have to change things."
Although Postecoglou has a range of quality options at his disposal, including the likes of Romero and Micky van de Ven, transfer insider Graeme Bailey believes that signing a new centre-back will be the priority in the January transfer window.
Now, The Boot Room are reporting that Sporting CP's Ousmane Diomande is emerging as a potential option for Spurs, with Tottenham viewing him as a long-term replacement for Romero, who has been linked with the likes of Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.
However, north London rivals Arsenal are also interested in the 20-year-old and have recently made an approach, so Spurs could have a fight on their hands to get a deal over the line this January. Furthermore, he may not come cheap, with a £68m release clause said to be included in his contract.
Diomande impressing for Sporting
It is clear to see why some of the Premier League clubs are queuing up to sign the youngster, as he is showing signs he could be a top-quality modern-day centre-back, ranking in the 99th percentile for his pass-completion rate per 90 over the past year.
The Ivorian has also received high praise from members of the media: