Tottenham transfer news as Perr Schuurs wanted, discussions held internally – Fabrizio Romano
Ange Postecoglou has admitted Tottenham could be in the market for another centre-back and Torino defender Perr Schuurs remains an option with internal discussions taking place, according to Fabrizio Romano.
According to the Italian transfer guru, taking to his personal Twitter account (9 August), the Dutchman is keen on a move to the Premier League and is being discussed internally at Tottenham with Postecoglu wanting another centre-back after completing a deal for Micky Van de Ven on Tuesday (THFC website, 8 August).
Romano shared Postecoglou’s stance with the Australian manager declaring that Spurs are in the market for another defender, but that plan hinges on potential outgoings with the likes of Davinson Sanchez and Japhet Tanganga looking set to leave.
Romano tweeted Postecoglou’s comments, with the Australian saying: “We’ve to see what happens with outgoings, but the potential is there to bring in one more centre back after van de Ven”
He added: “Torino’s CB Perr Schuurs remains one of the options in the list being discussed internally. Player keen on PL move.”
Deadwood needs to be cleared
Tottenham’s desperate need for centre-backs has been made clear by Postecoglou on a number of occasions this summer, but the club certainly need to clear some deadwood first before sealing another defensive addition.
Sanchez and Tanganga clearly have no future in North London and it’s imperative Tottenham get those two players off the wage bill before signing another defender, while it also remains to be seen whether Eric Dier will form a key part of Postecoglou’s setup with the England international already struggling ahead of the new campaign in pre-season.
Schuurs certainly represents an attractive option for the Lilywhites to consider with the club looking to improve on last season’s terribly shaky defence where they leaked a whopping 63 Premier League goals.
The signing of Schuurs could be a dream option having caught the eye as a result of his standout form in Italy in recent times.
The former Ajax centre-back stands out as a tough-tackling, dominant and assured defender, showcased by the fact that he ranks in the top 20 per cent for tackles made per 90 minutes [FBRef], while averaging 2.6 tackles and interceptions per game in Italy’s top-flight last season [SofaScore].
Before determining whether a centre-back will be suitable to Postecoglou, and Spurs, it’s certainly important to identify their talents in possession with the Australian favouring a progressive, possession-based approach and there are doubts about Schuurs’ ability on the ball in terms of the stats, ranking in the bottom 17 per cent of defenders for progressive passes, which is a surprise given he grew up within the prestigious Ajax academy.
If Spurs can’t acquire a more progressive option to enhance Postecoglou’s style alongside Cristian Romero and Van de Ven, then Schuurs could certainly be seen as an ideal fall-back option.
In other Tottenham news, it is a big season ahead for one key Spurs attacker after an underwhelming campaign last term.