3 right-backs Spurs should look to target in January

Spurs have been anything but spectacular in the opening rounds of the Premier League and Mauricio Pochettino will know that he has got his work cut out if the Lilywhites are to mount a serious challenge for the league title this term. 

The North London giants went into the international break with only a solitary win in their first four fixtures and while a 2-2 draw against Arsenal in the derby looked like a fair result, the fans certainly won’t be pleased with the team’s slip-up at home against Newcastle United. 

Indeed, Spurs can ill-afford to drop such crucial points against mediocre sides on their home turf and the early signs are somewhat alarming for their title surge.

They came out of their miserly habits to grab the headlines with a club-record deal for Tanguy Ndombele this summer but if the first four games in the Premier League are anything to go by, Pochettino still has plenty of holes to plug in his squad in a bid to challenge Liverpool and Man City for the title.

Pochettino made a brave call in the summer when he opted against bringing in a replacement at right-back following the departure of Kieran Trippier to Atletico Madrid. That decision, though, has come back to haunt the manager very early in the season. 

Indeed, academy star Kyle Walker-Peters showed a lot of promise in the first three fixtures but Spurs found themselves in a big hole when the youngster was forced off with an injury against Newcastle, with Serge Aurier frozen out of the squad for reasons we can only speculate on.

And Davinson Sanchez’s miserable display against Arsenal in a makeshift role on the right further exposed the lack of depth in that area of the pitch. With that in mind, let us take a look at 3 realistic right-back options that the Lilywhites can consider in January. 

1. Hiroki Sakai

The vastly experienced Japanese international was repeatedly linked with a move to North London in the summer transfer window (h/t Sky Sports) and Spurs should consider dipping in the market for the 29-year-old in a bid to add more stability to their right-back options. 

Sakai made over 100 appearances for Hannover 96 in the German Bundesliga before moving to Marseille, where he has played as one of the mainstays of the backline for the past three campaigns.

A strong, energetic and tenacious attack-minded right-back with well-rounded attributes, Sakai might not fall in the bracket of a promising young talent but he does have the experience at the highest level to solve a key issue for Pochettino in a crucial area of the pitch.

2. Youcef Atal 

Perhaps a more realistic option for Spurs due to his age, the 23-year-old has emerged as one of the most exciting full-backs in Ligue 1 with his impressive displays at OGC Nice.

The Algerian international was linked with a move to Spurs in January last season and they might as well look to revisit their interest in the jet-heeled defender once again in this winter following his stellar run of form under Patrick Vieira.

Atal still has plenty of room for development and Pochettino will fancy his chances of transforming him into a better defender in the future. 

3. Nelson Semedo 

Both Man United and Spurs were linked with a move for the out-of-favour Barcelona defender this summer, with the Sun suggesting that he was likely to be available for around £30million after struggling to nail down a regular starting role under Ernesto Valverde at Camp Nou.

The Portuguese international was tipped for stardom in the La Liga following an impressive start to his career at Benfica but things haven’t quite gone according to plan for the 25-year-old. 

He still has plenty of time on his side though, and Spurs should look to offer him an escape route to resurrect his career.