Robin Koch made his debut for Germany last October (Getty Images)
According to The Sun, Tottenham are among a host of clubs interested in signing German international defender Robin Koch, who currently plies his trade with SC Freiburg in the Bundesliga. Premier League newcomers Leeds United, Newcastle United and RB Leipzig are also in the race to sign the 24-year-old centre-back, who is out of contract in 2021.(H/t The Sun)
As per the report, Freiburg are willing to cash in on the defender this summer rather than risk losing him on a free transfer next year.
Robin Koch shot to prominence with Kaiserslautern in the German second-tier before joining top-flight outfit Freiburg back in the summer of 2017.
The 24-year-old has since clocked up 87 appearances across all competitions over the course of the last three seasons, establishing himself as one of the best young central defenders in Germany. Koch was rewarded for his impressive rise in the Bundesliga with his senior international debut for Germany last year.
There was a massive sigh of relief among the club faithful after Toby Alderweireld put pen to paper on a new deal last year.
The Belgian is expected to continue as one of the mainstays of Tottenham’s backline under Jose Mourinho for the foreseeable future. But the untimely departure of his compatriot Jan Vertonghen has left the club with a massive void to fill heading into the upcoming campaign.
Juan Foyth has been linked with a move away from North London after struggling for regular minutes while Davinson Sanchez’s lack of consistency remains a nagging issue for the Lilywhites, especially with Vertonghen no longer in the frame.
Eric Dier, Ben Davies, and youngster Japhet Tanganga are all capable of playing at the heart of the defence, but a specialist replacement in that department should be a top priority, nevertheless.
With Vertonghen now gone, Tottenham need to bring in a promising young centre-back and groom him for the future. Robin Koch has made great strides as a central defender in Germany. At 24, he still has plenty of time to get to grips with the gruelling nature of the English game.
Tottenham need to fix their backline heading into the upcoming campaign and signing a young and talented player like Robin Koch could well be a good long-term solution to the club’s defensive issues.
Koch has proven his talent and if Mourinho deems him good enough to represent Tottenham, then there’s no reason why Daniel Levy shouldn’t sanction a move for the German, especially with Vertonghen now gone.