Why Bournemouth should sign Cameron Carter-Vickers permanently
According to BBC reporter Kris Temple, Bournemouth could make an approach over a permanent deal for Tottenham loanee Cameron Carter-Vickers before the January transfer deadline.
The Cherries accepted a £750,000 bid from Championship rivals Cardiff City for centre-back Jack Simpson, as reported by Sky Sports journalist Mark McAdam on Saturday night. That has prompted Jason Tindall’s side to weigh up a permanent swoop for Carter-Vickers, who initially joined the club on loan from Tottenham back in October.
The United States international has had to wait until January to make his debut for Bournemouth after recovering from an ankle ligament injury sustained last year. Since his return earlier this month, Carter-Vickers has played the full ninety minutes in the 4-1 win over Oldham Athletic in the FA Cup and in the 1-0 home defeat against Luton Town in the Championship.
Carter-Vickers has shown decent potential
A youth exponent of Tottenham, Carter-Vickers made his first-team debut during the 2016-17 season. The United States defender has gone through a series of loan spells over the past four years, spending time at Sheffield United, Swansea City, Ipswich Town, Luton Town and Stoke City to further his development.
The 23-year-old has yet to make an appearance for Tottenham in the Premier League but has already gathered quite a lot of experience in the second-tier. Carter-Vickers has played 93 times in the Championship so far and while he hasn’t really been outstanding, the centre-back has shown an obvious potential to make the grade at the highest level.
Long-term investment?
In truth, Bournemouth would still have quite a lot of cover in the centre-back department even if they end up losing Simpson this month. With Chris Mepham, Diego Rico and Lloyd Kelly all featuring alongside captain Steve Cook, Jason Tindall looks well-stocked in his defensive options to at least get through the season.
Having said that, however, it would definitely make sense for the Cherries to bring in a permanent replacement with an eye on the future. Carter-Vickers’ loan spell at the Vitality Stadium has been blighted by injuries but he does have an impressive track record in the Championship.
The 23-year-old has shown in the past that he is capable of delivering on his potential when provided with regular playtime. Things haven’t really worked out for him at Tottenham due to competition for places but Carter-Vickers remains an exciting young defender with plenty of room for development.
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Verdict
Having lost plenty of star players following their relegation from the top-flight, Bournemouth should now look to rebuild their squad. The Cherries boast an excellent track record of nurturing young homegrown talents, as evident from the success of David Brooks, Lewis Cook, Jack Stacey and others.
Cameron Carter-Vickers ticks several boxes as a player in a similar mould with his best years still ahead of him. Ideally, the January window would be the right time for Bournemouth to sign him up permanently, considering that his contract at Tottenham is due to expire in the summer. Striking a deal this month would allow Bournemouth to wrap up a shrewd piece of business without facing much competition.
