Why Tottenham should go all out for Milan Skriniar in January

According to claims from reputed insider Fabrizio Romano (h/t The Sun), Inter Milan have opened the door for Tottenham to sign in-demand centre-back Milan Skriniar when the transfer window reopens in January. 

As per the report, the Nerazzurri are now prepared to sell their prized asset for £45million during the mid-season trading period, with the club desperate to raise funds. It has been claimed that Jose Mourinho can add Skriniar to his ranks if he presents Inter with a suitable offer as soon as possible.

Profile

A youth exponent of Slovakian club MSK Zilina, Milan Skriniar made his top-flight debut during the 2011-12 season and went on to make 95 appearances over four-and-a-half campaigns. The centre-back’s burgeoning reputation in his homeland paved the way for a switch to Italy with Sampdoria in January 2016. 

Skriniar enjoyed a productive breakthrough campaign in the Serie A in 2016-17, making 35 appearances in all competitions. Inter Milan came calling for his services in the summer of 2017 and the Slovakian has since clocked up 135 appearances for the Nerazzurri, establishing himself as one of the best young centre-backs in Europe. 

The defender made his senior international debut for Slovakia in 2016 and has since earned 35 caps for his nation so far.

Skriniar would add more quality to Spurs’ backline

Tottenham roped in Joe Rodon from Swansea City before the domestic deadline to bolster their centre-back ranks following the departure of veteran Jan Vertonghen on a free transfer. The Welshman isn’t quite the finished article but his inclusion has provided some much-needed depth to Mourinho’s options at the back. 

Rodon’s impressive display in the goalless draw against Chelsea clearly underlines his potential. But given that he’s still relatively young, Tottenham would be better off gradually phasing him into the mix. With Toby Alderweireld set to turn 32 later on in the campaign and also struggling with injuries, Spurs ideally need to bring in another readymade option in that department.

Putting things into context, it should be an absolute no-brainer for Tottenham to go all out in their pursuit of Milan Skriniar in January, with Inter Milan slashing their asking price for the defender. 

Verdict

Truth be told, Tottenham aren’t really crying out for a new centre-back ahead of the January window. However, the room for improvement in that department certainly can’t be overlooked, with Sanchez far too inconsistent and Dier also having his fair share of limitations. 

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Mourinho needs top-quality players in all areas of his squad to steer the club to silverware in the coming seasons and Skriniar would surely make a massive difference. The Slovakian still potentially has his best years ahead of him at 25, meaning that he would be well worth a significant outlay for Tottenham in the winter market.