Tottenham Hotspur are planning to sign a central defender when the transfer window reopens in January
Tottenham Hotspur have made a bright start to the new Premier League campaign, but headed into the international break on a sour note after they were beaten 1-0 at home by Bournemouth.
Thomas Frank has been handed a squad deep enough to compete on four fronts this season, with Spurs returning to Champions League action after the international break. The Lilywhites made seven summer signings in an attempt to add strength in depth and quality, as well as improve on last season’s woeful 17th placed Premier League finish under Ange Postecoglou.
However, Spurs could not manage to improve their defensive unit. A centre-back appeared to be at the top of clubs’ agenda at the start of the summer, owing to Cristian Romero’s concrete links with Atletico Madrid. As the transfer window progressed and Romero ended up penning a new contract, Tottenham’s interest in a centre-back cooled.
Tottenham Hotspur are planning to sign a central defender when the transfer window reopens in January.
Tottenham boss Thomas Frank is seeking cover for Cristian Romero and Micky can de Ven
Tottenham to move for a centre-back in January
Now, according to a report from The Athletic, Tottenham could make a move for an ‘experienced’ centre-back in January, in order to protect key players from getting injured. They wanted to bring in a left-sided centre-back in the summer, which signals perhaps to adding cover for Micky Van de Ven.
Van de Ven has been unlucky with injuries since arriving at N17 in the summer of 2023. He spent significant chunks of last season on the sidelines along with his centre-back partner Romero, which left Tottenham leaky in defence. Without the duo’s presence, the team looked extremely shaky and lacked any kind of leadership at the back.
In Kevin Danso, Radu Dragusin and Kota Takai, Thomas Frank does have back-up options for his first-choice centre-back pairing. However, with Takai inexperienced and currently nursing a foot problem, and Dragusin on the comeback trail from an ACL rupture, Frank realistically has Danso to bank on if anything happens to either Van de Ven or Romero.
Therefore, to not leave Spurs light at the back during the second half when the season becomes intense, the Danish tactician wants to bring in a body at the back.
Tottenham Hotspur are planning to sign a central defender when the transfer window reopens in January.
Tottenham and Newcastle are among the clubs linked with a move for Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke this summer
Brighton star Jan Paul van Hecke emerging as an option for Tottenham
As per recent reports, Spurs are interested in signing Jan Paul van Hecke and they have received a big boost in their hopes to land the Brighton and Hove Albion defender in January. This is because the towering Dutchman has delayed signing a new contract at Brighton, looking to gauge whether he will be in demand when the transfer window reopens.
Van Hecke has been one of the consistent and reliable central defenders in the Premier League in the last couple of seasons, emerging from the shadows of skipper Lewis Dunk to become a regular starter at the Amex Stadium. The 25-year-old’s technical ability, game-reading and physicality would make him a great fit in Frank’s system at Spurs, whilst improving their squad depth.
With the Netherlands international entering the final two years of his contract (Transfermarkt), there is a strong possibility of him leaving the Seagulls in 2026. Let’s see if Tottenham test Brighton’s resolve for Van Hecke in the winter window, although they could face competition from Liverpool and Newcastle United.