Tottenham Hotspur are set to stick with Japhet Tanganga despite the defender’s poor track record of injuries.
This is being reported by Football Insider following the announcement to emerge from the north London club on Tanganga’s season-ending injury.
What should Spurs do with Tanganga?
Keep
Loan
Sell
An injury to his right knee has seen the 22-year-old undergo surgery having already missed around two months of Premier League action.
However, it is believed – despite his injury record – the Lilywhites will not be looking to cash in on their homegrown talent in the summer, with Spurs insider John Wenham stating there’s ‘zero chance’ he leaves.
But what could this mean for the current crop of right-backs at the club ahead of what is expected to be a busy summer transfer window in an attempt to match Antonio Conte’s demands?
Goodbye Emerson?
Spurs spent in the region of £25.73m for the Brazilian right-back, Emerson Royal, in the summer and it could already be the final few months of his time in north London.
Conte has already made it apparent he has not been convinced by the 23-year-old since his arrival in November with the former Barcelona man’s crossing coming under particular scrutiny.
Since he arrived in September, Emerson has only been able to provide one assist in the Premier League with 22 appearances in the top-flight now to his name (via Transfermarkt).
And Conte’s thoughts can be seen through his team selection with Emerson losing his spot in the starting XI to Matt Doherty with the Irishman now starting the last five league games.
With Doherty impressing the Italian in recent weeks with a goal and three assists and Tanganga, reportedly, not being sold in the summer, could Emerson be heading for the exit at Hotspur Way?
No arrival at right wing-back?
Reports have suggested Conte is looking to add to his options at right wing-back with Djed Spence heavily linked in recent months having impressed at Nottingham Forest.
It is believed Spurs are leading the race for the Middlesbrough defender with Bayern Munich also linked to the £15m-rated 21-year-old.
Spurs have also been named as a side who could potentially rival the likes of Manchester United in the summer in making a swoop for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Tariq Lamptey.
With Doherty impressing recently and Tanganga not expected to move on in the summer, does this cast doubts over whether Spurs will invest at right wing-back in the summer?
In Tanganga’s 11 appearances under Conte, the 22-year-old has featured at centre-back on a number of occasions which could suggest he may not be viewed as a wing-back.
However, former manager, Jose Mourinho, seemed convinced Tanganga’s future lied as a right-back rather than as a central defender:
“For me he’s a full-back. Can he play centre-back? Yes he can, of course he can, and he will if we need and we will need,” said Mourinho in 2020.
“He can play centre-back, but for me in the context of what high-level football is and especially Premier League is, I see him more as a multi-functional defensive player but I see him more as a full-back.”
In other news: Shocking: Tottenham should’ve been playing against 10 men as West Ham footage emerges – opinion