Jose Mourinho
According to The Mirror (h/t The Sun), Tottenham are leading the race for West Brom full-back Nathan Ferguson.
However, Spurs could face heavy competition for the youngster with Crystal Palace and West Ham United also making their interest known on the player, according to the report.
Ferguson, 19, who came through the youth ranks at Hawthorns, has starred for Slaven Bilic’s promotion-chasing side. He made 20 appearances in the Championship so far and has caught the attention of several Premier League clubs.
The report also adds that the teenager has hesitated to sign a new five-year deal with West Brom which was offered to him. And this means Ferguson could start a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club now and could leave for nothing to a Premier League team in the summer.
Meanwhile, Tottenham, who started brilliantly under the Portuguese manager, have failed to muster upon their success and have been vulnerable in recent weeks. They have failed to win each of their last four games in all competitions, including the recent loss coming against league leaders Liverpool.
Injuries to several key players have deprived Mourinho of a full-strength squad and he’s managed with the rest of the players available. After a poor start to the season, Tottenham did show signs of getting stronger. However, they have fallen down once again and the lack of depth in the squad has been highlighted in their performances.
With games coming thick and fast, the manager should look to bring in reinforcements at the earliest. One key area which Mourinho has to prioritize strengthening is the full-back positions.
On the right side of the backline, Serge Aurier is the only player available in the squad since Kyle Walker-Peters is set to leave on loan with Crystal Palace being the most likely destination.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Ben Davies has been prone to injury and is out of action for the majority of the season. Danny Rose hasn’t performed up to the standards of the Premier League in the few opportunities given to him.
Having said that, it would be wise for Tottenham to reinforce their squad with a young and energetic full-back. In that case, Baggies’ Nathan Ferguson would certainly fit the bill as he has been impressive in the second-tier this term.
The 19-year-old is capable of playing on both sides of the defence and that would be a plus for the North Londoners, considering their lack of depth.
According to Whoscored, the teenager’s strengths are his dribbling and passing and he also goes in for a tackle, which is evident from the 2.4 tackles he has made per game.
At 19, the England youth international must take a huge stride in his development and with Tottenham, he could achieve success.
Under the guidance of Mourinho, Ferguson would have all the tools needed to sharpen his skills. Therefore, if the North London club sign him, he could be one of their players in the long run.