Spurs want £80m ‘monster’ who could go one better than Romero & Van de Ven

Tottenham Hotspur will want to enter the new year with a clean slate after falling off track in recent weeks.

Ange PostecoglouThe stubborn implementation of his free-flowing, attack-oriented brand removed the fans’ collective belief and commitment to the cause. Spurs have been plagued by injuries, but a refusal to patch things up has made the fight tough.

That is the case, but the Australian coach must be frustrated by it Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero together they were shut down in successive winters down the N17.

The spares did not support Postecoglou’s tactical virtues, and things became quite messy, in the 11th Premier League and 11 points behind fourth-placed Chelsea. The first line is cracking, but the balance is shaky.

Tottenham must strengthen a talented group of players with more quality, more depth, more dynamism. Polarizing Daniel Levy he seems to have an ambitious name in mind.

Spurs are eyeing a new centre-back

According to The Mail on Sunday – via TEAMtalk – Tottenham are interested in reaching a deal for Everton’s centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite and they conducted internal discussions in order to work out the possibility of an offer.

Branthwaite is one of the best rising defenders in Europe and was a centre attracted the attention of Manchester United last summer, but Everton stood firm with their high valuation.

Indeed, 22-year-old Branthwaite is valued at around £80m by the Merseysiders, meaning Levy would need to break Tottenham’s transfer record to bring him to the capital.

What Jarrad Branthwaite would bring to Spurs

Branthwaite enjoyed his first season of sustained football in the Premier League Sean Dyche‘s wing last year and hailed it as an “absolute monster”. talent hunter Jacek Kulig after his… well, monstrous performances.

He is not a complete defender. Not yet. However, Branthwaite’s accuracy and destructive defensive skills make it clear that he has the minerals to be a first-class player in a first-class team.

Tottenham are still not a first-class team under Postecoglou despite sporadic bits of brilliance, but this marriage of player and club could pay dividends for a side capable of achieving great things in the coming years.

It is no coincidence that Everton’s dismal start to the 2024/25 season. played with Branthwaite in the infirmary and that Dyche’s defensive determination has reignited in recent months, the hulking ace is back and kept five clean sheets in only 11 appearances in the Premier League.

He won 81% of his tackles on the ground, an incredible high, and could be a key player as Everton look to confidently maintain their Premier League status in the coming months.

With some work and care, he could become a superstar at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, potentially even better than Romero and Van de Ven.

Branthwaite’s potential to be better than Romero & Van de Ven

Tottenham’s favorite defensive axis is terrifying and versatile when on the pitch, but the London club’s inconsistencies have marred what could have been pure brilliance, and injuries have compounded their problems.

With Romero and Van de Ven in the squad this season, Spurs are conceded eight goals from nine Premier League games; without them, Ange watched his motley defense concede 18 goals in just eight games.

They certainly have their flaws, but Van de Ven’s incredible athleticism and Romero’s fearsome aggression combined to plant the seeds of something special. Of course, they share a common technical ability that matches the best positional peers across Europe.

For Branthwaite to come into the Tottenham clash and insinuate himself into the starting line-up would be quite a feat, but Tottenham have indeed suffered regular absences from both of their titans in recent years and could use another presence to add some more steel.

Who knows, Branthwaite may even find himself in a position to dethrone one of the original members as he progresses under Ange’s leadership.

There’s a lot to unpack. However, something interesting worth discussing is Branthwaite’s pass success rate of 85% despite being at the heart of an Everton side that typically moves away from possession.

It is important to remember that the English centre-half operates in a system that actively promotes counter-attacking football. In other words, Branthwaite exists in a world that minimizes playing the ball for someone in his role, rather than being tasked with protecting Everton’s goal and clearing danger quickly.

Everton are 19th in possession in the Premier League this term with an average of 40.1% (FBref), Tottenham, on the contrary, is third with a retention rate of 57.9%.

It’s only natural that Spurs’ defenders would be allowed to allow their passing range to thrive without Branthwaite still being able to demonstrate that side of his game with regularity in a proper and consistent system.

With Branthwaite already such a formidable defensive presence, with stats to back up his authority at the back, there’s a chance he could overshadow both of Tottenham’s star centre-backs under Ange, grooming new talent and fostering a deep-rooted combativeness that has alerted the best players on his quality.