At a glance:
- Destiny Udogie injured again
- Italian might miss Wolves clash
- Tottenham should consider selling left-back
Tottenham Hotspur need a major squad rebuild after successive terrible seasons in the Premier League.
Spurs finished 17th in the league last season, while winning the UEFA Europa League. Due to a big injury crisis and a poor squad, manager Ange Postecoglou decided to focus on Europe and delivered the trophy.
However, Tottenham have faced another injury crisis this season under poorer managers. This has led to them battling relegation with just five games remaining, despite getting eliminated early from the cup competitions.
While Spurs’ medical staff have rightly come under immense scrutiny, some players have also turned out to be more injury-prone than others. They have become quite unreliable and must be replaced.
Tottenham must replace Destiny Udogie this summer
Destiny Udogie is an excellent left-back. He can carry the ball well, can operate in tight areas, has good technical ability, and is a good defender as well.
Thomas Frank labeled him ‘exceptional’ in September last year (h/t The Standard). However, he is also quite unreliable, considering his injury issues.
Udogie is again injured ahead of Tottenham’s crucial clash against Wolves. This would mark the fifth time he has been injured this season, having missed 19 games already.
Injuries issues to his knee and hamstring have led to four prolonged absences this season.
Now, no player wants to get injured, and there has to be sympathy for Udogie. However, as a team and a club, Spurs cannot rely on the 23-year-old Italian.
Since his £20 million arrival from Udinese in 2023, he has missed around 45 games for the club (via Transfermarkt).
Moreover, his consistent injuries also stop him from getting a rhythm in a run of games. Hence, even when he returns, he is often looking to find his form, and as soon as he gets it, he gets injured again. This, unfortunately, is highly detrimental for Tottenham.
Also Read: Manchester United want to sign Tottenham defender who has already taken big step towards leaving
The Italy international missed the latter stages of the 2023-24 season, as Tottenham lost many games. They finished two points behind Aston Villa in the Champions League race that season, and with Udogie’s presence, they might have been able to overhaul it.
His absence also means that right-footed Djed Spence plays as a left-back, which throws off the balance of the team on the left wing.
Tottenham need a No. 1 left-back
Spurs had a similar situation in the past with Ryan Sessegnon, who had numerous injury issues at the club. He made just 57 appearances in over four years at the club.
He, however, appears to have recovered well since his move to Fulham. Regardless, Tottenham must learn from that situation and work quickly this time.
The north London side are set to sign Andy Robertson if they avoid relegation. However, signings like these only work when you have a reliable first-choice left-back.
Robertson and Souza cannot be expected to play the majority of the games next season, especially in a demanding system like Roberto De Zerbi.
Also Read: What Xavi Simons privately feels about working with Roberto De Zerbi at Tottenham
Hence, Spurs must look to sell Udogie in the summer and replace him with a reliable left-back. Tottenham have been linked with Maxi Araujo for a potential summer move. He would be an ideal signing to replace the Italian, whose contract expires in 2030.
