Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed that Tottenham may terminate Cameron Carter-Vickers’ loan deal in the January transfer window following a shattering new Toby Alderweireld blow.
Centre-back Carter-Vickers, 19, is currently on a season-long loan at Championship promotion hopefuls Sheffield United.
But Pochettino admitted at his media briefing on Tuesday, as quoted by freelance Spurs journalist Ben Pearce on his personal Twitter account, that the United States international could be recalled from his loan next month as a result of Alderweireld’s continued absence.
#thfc Pochettino says a decision will soon be made about whether to bring Cameron Carter-Vickers back from his loan spell, given Alderweireld’s absence. He also says he is “so calm” about Daniel Levy’s management of players’ contracts, with reference to Alderweireld’s future.
— Ben Pearce (@BenPearceSpurs) December 12, 2017
Pochettino said on Tuesday afternoon that the Belgium international will be out until February, a month late than originally feared, after undergoing a new scan on his injured hamstring.
Poch on Alderweireld: “Of course we cannot change the reality of his injury, he cannot play until February. With him or without him we win and lose. Of course the manager wants everyone fit to play, all the players. You are always going to miss players, but it’s collective.”
— Alasdair Gold (@AlasdairGold) December 12, 2017
One-time USA international Carter-Vickers has been a key player in Sheffield United’s bid to secure promotion from the Championship.
The defender has made 13 appearances in the Championship and even managed to score his first ever senior goal on his Blades debut in September.
OPINION
Spurs are not short of quality centre-backs, with Davinson Sanchez, Jan Vertonghen and Mr Versatile Eric Dier all highly competent in that position, if not at the level of the hallowed Alderweireld. The Belgian’s extended absence is a shattering blow but Pochettino should hold fire until late January on whether to recall Carter-Vickers. If Alderweireld suffers another setback, or Spurs lost another senior central defender, then the manager will have little choice but to recall the strapping American. But if the Belgium international is fit to return, then Carter-Vickers is better off being in the Sheffield United first team.