This summer is shaping up to be one of Tottenham Hotspur's most important for a long time.
The North Londoners got rid of Ange Postecoglou earlier this month and, in relatively fast fashion, appointed Thomas Frank in his place.
The Danish coach helped turn Brentford into a force to be reckoned with in the Premier League but has no real experience of managing a team as big as Spurs.
Thomas Frank Brentford record (timeless)
So, to ensure he can help lead the club back up the league table next season and to a successful campaign in Europe, Daniel Levy and Co need to bring in the right players in the summer transfer window.
That means that on top of bringing in the exciting attacking names, the club need to help address the defence, which seems to be happening, with reports linking the club to someone who could be Frank's own Jurrien Timber.
Johnson-timber-spurs-arsenal
Spurs' defensive targets
While Tottenham managed to end up as the eighth-highest-scoring team in the Premier League this season, they also managed to end up with the fourth-worst defensive record, conceding 65 goals - one more than they scored.
So, it's clear what part of the team needs to be addressed in the coming weeks and months, and unsurprisingly, the club have already been linked with a handful of talented defenders, such as Jarrad Branthwaite and Vanderson.
The former has been mightily impressive for Everton and, at a towering 6 foot 5, would help add some serious steel to the North Londoners' backline, although with reports that he could cost up to £80m, this feels like a deal unlikely to happen.
jarrad branthwaite
Likewise, while Vanderson is undoubtedly a talented full-back, he's been touted for a move to Tottenham before, and nothing has ever come of the links, and he's not really comparable to Timber, unlike Kyle Walker-Peters.
According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Spurs are one of several sides seriously interested in re-signing the Southampton star having initially left the club under Jose Mourinho.
The report has revealed that with the full-back's £20k-per-week contract coming to an end this month, a number of teams are expected to move for the Englishman's signature, with the North Londoners expected to be the most serious.
Moreover, the story claims Frank is open to transfer, which helps make this move seem like a total no-brainer, especially as he's won comparisons to the talented Timber.
How Walker-Peters compares to Timber
The primary comparison to Timber for Walker-Peters stems from FBref, which looked at players in similar positions in the Premier League this season, and came to the conclusion that the Dutchman was the fifth most similar full-back in the competition.
Walker-Peters & Timber
Statistics per 90
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
Shots on Target
Passing Accuracy
Expected Assists
Key Passes
Shot-Creating Actions
Errors Leading to a Shot
Blocks
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 PL Season
We can better understand how this conclusion was reached by looking at some of the metrics in which the pair ranked closely, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, key passes, errors leading to a shot, blocks, and more, all per 90.
What is interesting and perhaps most encouraging about this comparison is that it highlights the similarity the Englishman has with the Arsenal ace in terms of his on-the-ball ability as well as his defensive solidity, which should be music to the ears of Frank.
Southampton's Kyle Walker-Peters applauds their fans after the match
Moreover, like the former Ajax star, who made 48 appearances across all competitions this season, the ex-Tottenham man was an ever-reliable presence for the Saints, making 35 appearances in the league, all of which were starts.
The last point of comparison is that, like the Gunners ace, the Englishman is fairly versatile, as while his primary position is right-back, he has the ability to play across the backline and even further up the pitch, should he need to.
Ultimately, while he won't be anywhere near the most exciting transfer Spurs make this summer, picking up Walker-Peters for free seems like a total no-brainer, and who knows, he could prove as useful for Frank as Timber has for Mikel Arteta.
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