Tottenham Hotspur have made Joachim Andersen their top summer transfer target but only once they resolve their managerial situation…
What’s the word?
That’s according to Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who dropped a fresh claim on Twitter earlier this week, where he suggested that the Fulham loan star is firmly on Spurs’ radar.
He wrote:
“Tottenham are working to resolve the manager situation then the board will decide on new signings. Joachim Andersen is the main target as centre-back – he wants to stay in Premier League, #THFC want him. Many European clubs are interested too.”
The Athletic’s Jack Pitt-Brooke has also revealed that the Danish defender has “chosen that he would like to come to Spurs” but the North Londoners are yet to open negotiations with his parent club, Lyon.
Andersen is expected to cost around £25m, as per the Telegraph, though as Romano states, there will be stern competition from right across Europe.
Imagine him under Pochettino
This off-season is certainly going to be an interesting one for the Lilywhites as their search for Jose Mourinho’s successor rumbles on. And one claim this week has linked Mauricio Pochettino with a sensation return to the club.
The Argentine was sacked over 18 months ago and is currently at Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain, though he’s thought to be open to coming back to the club.
Andersen is the sort of player that Pochettino would love in the heart of defence, especially as that is where Spurs need an overhaul the most.
As explained perfectly by The Athletic earlier this campaign, defensive issues and a lack of cohesion has been the defining theme of Tottenham’s terrible season.
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Mourinho couldn’t settle on a backline, using over 16 different combinations, but you can hardly blame him when you’ve got to pick between Eric Dier and Davinson Sanchez in the middle.
If Levy does manage to secure the 49-year-old, then he’ll only have the exact same problems, which is why a move for Andersen makes a ton of sense.
Despite being relegated with Fulham, the 24-year-old colossus has impressed massively, leading to praise from those in and around Premier League football.
For instance, ex-Wimbledon star Robbie Earle dubbed him “absolutely sensational” to his ‘The 2 Robbies’ podcast, whilst the Daily Mirror’s chief football writer John Cross hailed him as “magnificent” earlier in the campaign.
When comparing Andersen to Dier, there’s a clear standout, too.
The 6 foot 4 giant vastly outperformed the Spurs defender, yet it is he who tasted relegation. That says more about the Englishman than it does the Lyon loanee.
As per WhoScored, Andersen won more aerial duels (3.2 per game), registered more interceptions (1.4 per game), made more tackles (1.2 per game), and was more successful in finding the opposition offside (1.1x per game) than Dier.
His passing range is phenomenal too, having averaged a whopping 5.8 long balls per game, and that’ll please Pochettino and his system even more.
It means he not only reads the game better than the Spurs star but he also performed better, despite tasting relegation, in comparison to Spurs’ seventh-place finish.
Evidently, the £26m-rated centre-back is a huge upgrade on Dier, who was snubbed from England’s European Championship squad this week.
Levy could begin to turn things around in N17 if he were to land both Pochettino and Andersen as his first two pieces of business this summer. He must get this deal done.
AND in other news, Spurs surely risk losing Harry Kane after talks with “pathetic” ex-PL man with 30% win rate…