With Kieran Trippier reportedly closing in on a move to Atletico Madrid, Spurs fans seem split over whether Mauricio Pochettino needs to sign a replacement for the right-back position if he goes.
The Telegraph reported on Tuesday that Trippier might not fly to Singapore on Wednesday for the club’s pre-season tour, with Spurs in advanced talks with the Spanish side over a £20million deal.
This comes on the back of a poor season for the England International following a good 17/18 campaign and stellar performances for England in the World Cup last summer.
Trippier admitted himself that his form had been poor in an interview with Sky Sports but, despite this, he was still Pochettino’s number one choice at right-back. If he moves it would leave Pochettino with Serge Aurier, Kyle Walker-Peters and Juan Foyth for the right-back spot next season.
Some Tottenham fans think that’s enough but there are plenty who think Pochettino must dip into the market again.
Here’s a sample of the debate that’s raging on Twitter at the moment:
Just those 3. Think KWP has looked class and he’ll only improve. £25m May well be enough for Sessegnon. Hopefully we get another creative CM whether Eriksen stays or goes.
— Paul Crabb (@PaulJCrabb) July 16, 2019
KWP+opportunity > new signing
— K (@Rrinoceros) July 16, 2019
If I felt Poch had faith in KWP I’d be reasonably happy with him and Aurier as main RBs… But given form and injury of others and Kyle still wasn’t getting games makes me think the faiths not there
— Matt ?????????? (@mappsy91) July 16, 2019
KWP needs more game time, looked at times last season like he could be a stellar right back
— jb (@normural) July 16, 2019
Walker-Peters has always had the backing of a section of the Tottenham support and there are some who think he could be the player to step up and take Trippier’s spot.
However, it’s not clear that Pochettino shares the same vision. Walker-Peters only made six appearances at right-back last season, with just four starts. In the first of these Tottenham beat Bournemouth 5-0 and Walker-Peters registered three assists, but he was dropped for Trippier in the next game.
One fan summed it up very well by saying if he thought Pochettino had faith in KWP he would be happy with him and Aurier. Another said that Walker-Peters just needs “more game time” and said he showed he had the talent last season.
Need an experienced replacement as Aurier is a liability and simply not good enough. Kwp and Foyth not ready to be regular starters
— George Daniels (@GDan1973) July 16, 2019
100% bring in a new RB i would, but i know that Poch will most probably start playing Foyth in that position this season….
— Neil (@R1COYS) July 16, 2019
Sell Aurier. Loan Foyth to see if his mistakes can be ironed out. Keep KWP as a backup/alternative to a new RB
— Monsignor Hairyman (@chiefhairyman) July 16, 2019
We must have someone waiting to sign how can you let a full back of this quality leave just look at the 3 clubs after him serge at right back please and foyth is a walking red card and penalty machine
— Tim Crann (@CrannTim) July 16, 2019
By contrast, there are plenty of Spurs fans who think that Pochettino has to bring in a new player to replace Trippier, with one fan calling Aurier a “liability” and another saying Foyth is a “walking red card and penalty machine”.
Foyth was brought in as a centre-back but played at right-back twice in the Premier League at the tail-end of last season. Both games ended in 1-0 defeats for Tottenham but he impressed Pochettino in the game against Man City.
And Pochettino hinted that the 21-year-old could be set for a run at right-back saying to Football.London after the Man City game: “I think he was very good. He played so well. The signal that he’s giving us in the training sessions, you can see and you can feel and you can trust him in that position.”
One fan said that Walker-Peters wasn’t ready to be a regular starter but at the age of 22 you have to ask if not now, when?
Another fan put forward three players he’d like to see come in and replace Trippier: Dani Alves (a free agent after leaving PSG this summer), Thomas Meunier (PSG’s current right-back) and Youcef Atal (Nice).
Between these three: Alves, Menuier from PSG, or Attal from Nice ( no particular order)
— Jordan Bolds (@iamjboldsy_) July 16, 2019
What do we think?
We’d love to see Kyle Walker-Peters get a run in the team but we’re not convinced that Pochettino is ready to take a risk on him yet.
Given that, we’d expect a replacement right-back to be signed if Trippier does leave Spurs this summer.