Tottenham could raid the Bundesliga for one of the highly-rated defenders.
Igor Tudor is facing an uphill battle as interim head coach of Tottenham Hotspur.
The 47-year-old tactician replaced Thomas Frank at White Hart Lane last week, with Spurs languishing in a Premier League relegation battle. The Croat’s appointment has been viewed as “left-field” by ESPN FC pundit Don Hutchinson, but one cannot ignore the fact that he kept Udinese in Serie A back in 2018.
The Lilywhites also find themselves in a messy situation, and Igor Tudor, in his first gig in England, has to give his best to keep them in the top flight. Amid all the chaos, the futures of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven continue to hang in the balance.
Cristian Romero created headlines by having a pop at the hierarchy after the January transfer window closed, questioning their ambition to strengthen the squad that only had 11 fit first-team players against Manchester City. The Tottenham captain appears to be at a crossroads in his career and continues to be heavily linked with a move to La Liga. Van de Ven, meanwhile, has been quietly doing his job on the pitch, and that has seen him catch the attention of Liverpool.
Tottenham eye move for RB Leipzig defender
If Tottenham miss out on Champions League qualification, which looks likely, there are high chances of either Romero or Van de Ven seeking an exit in the summer, or even both. As a result, Spurs are preparing for life without their regular starting central defenders for next season and beyond.
According to a report from GIVEMESPORT, Tottenham are eyeing a summer move for RB Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba.
One of the highly-rated defenders in Europe, Castello Lukeba, likened to Man City’s Josko Gvardiol, is enjoying another impressive season with RB Leipzig. He has been a rock at the back, registering a goal in 17 league appearances and helping his side to fifth in the Bundesliga table. The Frenchman missed a few games due to a knee problem but has recently returned to fitness.
Lukeba has a contract at the Red Bull Arena until 2029 but is protected by a mammoth £78m release clause. However, despite the release clause, the 23-year-old could be on the move this summer with Leipzig struggling to qualify for the Champions League.
The report adds that Tottenham are among several clubs keeping a close eye on Lukeba’s situation. Arsenal, Manchester United and Real Madrid are all monitoring the France international, while Aston Villa have also been credited with an interest in the centre-back. So, Spurs would have to fend off interest from several Premier League and European sides in order to win the race for the Lyon-born talent.
It will be interesting to see whether the Lilywhites accelerate their interest in the Leipzig defender. Being left-footed, Lukeba could come in as a potential replacement for Van de Ven.