Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly been given the chance to sign defender Joachim Andersen from Serie A club Sampdoria – but would he be a good addition to the Spurs squad?
The Daily Star write that Spurs’ north London rivals Arsenal were priced out of a move for Andersen after being informed of his £31.2m price tag.
The 23-year-old operates in the centre of defence and could be a long-term replacement for Toby Alderweireld, should the Belgian international’s £25m release clause be met this summer.
He is regarded as a ball playing defender known for his ability to play long passes from the back, with the Metro reporting that he possessed the highest passing accuracy amongst the Italian club’s squad last season.
Furthermore, the defender has the ability to read the game well and make vital interceptions, which are key skills considering he is not the quickest in a foot race.
At 6ft 4″ tall he is also likely to be fairly competent in the air and able to handle himself physically, something which will be significant given the intensity of the Premier League compared to Serie A.
Signing Andersen would send a real statement of intent to Spurs’ top-flight rivals, and the Dane would most certainly be able to compete for a first-team sport with Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Davinson Sanchez.
It would also allow manager Mauricio Pochettino to send Juan Foyth out on loan in order to gain valuable game time, with the Argentinian enduring an indifferent campaign last time out.
At the quoted price of £31.2m, Pochettino and chairman Daniel Levy are unlikely to find a player of such calibre who will only improve, so they should make finalising this deal a priority.
