Tottenham are in urgent need of defensive reinforcements in the summer
Tottenham failed to address several glaring issues within the squad during the January transfer window. The Lilywhites did bring in Conor Gallagher and Souza on long-term deals in the winter, but those additions were widely seen as insufficient as the club attempted to return to winning ways in the Premier League. Thomas Frank had also been hoping for greater backing during the window before the Danish tactician was ultimately dismissed from his role earlier last week.
Spurs now need to be ambitious in the summer and recruit players who can immediately strengthen the squad and help the club push for European qualification next season. One key area that requires urgent attention is defence. The Lilywhites must sign a new centre-back who can compete with Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven for a place in the starting eleven.
Both defenders have performed well to an extent, making them two of the few standout players during Thomas Frank’s tenure at N17. They have formed a solid partnership at the back and have contributed at both ends of the pitch. However, there are also flaws in their individual games that have come back to hurt the club on multiple occasions, underlining the need for new faces who could potentially replace either one of them next season.
Tottenham remain interested in signing Juventus defender Lloyd Kelly
It comes as little surprise that Tottenham are eager to bring in a new centre-back in the summer. Recent reports suggest that the Lilywhites could lose Micky van de Ven once the current campaign concludes, with the Dutchman strongly linked with a move to Liverpool. As a result, the North Londoners are planning to sign a replacement who could slot straight into the starting eleven at N17 next season.
According to Mirko Di Natale (via X), Spurs are monitoring Juventus defender Lloyd Kelly. The England international has made significant progress in Italy and is being heavily linked with a return to the Premier League next summer. The Lilywhites are understood to be admirers of the centre-back and are keen to tempt him to N17 in the coming months. Liverpool and Chelsea are also interested in signing Kelly, with Juventus reportedly set to demand a fee in the region of €40-50m for his services.
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Tottenham attempted to sign Kelly in the summer after his loan spell at Juventus came to an end. However, the Serie A side chose to secure the England international on a permanent deal after being impressed by his performances. He has since played a key role under Luciano Spalletti in recent months, forming a strong defensive partnership with Pierre Kalulu. It is therefore no surprise that several top Premier League clubs are keen to secure his signature ahead of next season.
Signing a player of Kelly’s quality appears to be a straightforward decision. The main stumbling block in any potential move, however, would be the asking price set by Juventus. The Italian giants have no intention of parting ways with a key defender and are keen to retain his services when Premier League clubs come calling. For Spurs, it will be crucial to renegotiate the terms of any potential deal and convince Kelly to become part of a new project at N17.
Will Lloyd Kelly be wearing the Lilywhite jersey anytime soon? Only time will tell. But if Spurs are preparing to lose either Cristian Romero or Micky van de Ven in the summer, they must do everything possible to secure the England international before the new season begins.