As pre-season kicks up a notch for Tottenham Hotspur, the transfer window has seemed to take a back seat. And why shouldn’t it? We’ve already made five signings that improve squad quality and depth. The good vibes were apparent and that was before we saw the uplifting scenes from South Korea. Sonny, along with hundreds of his compatriots, greeting the squad upon their arrival, becoming social media darlings in the process.
The next day Gian Piero Ventrone and Antonio Conte ran the squad at the end of a double session like a French chef reduces a sauce, leaving nothing left but the essence. Harry Kane vomited, Son fell out, too. All while Troy Parrott and Pape Matar Sarr looked like middle distance Olympians.
So much to talk about, so much to anticipate, but…back to that pesky transfer window. What I want to focus on, though, is outgoings; and I suspect not the type of outgoings most people are worried about.
I want to see what happens with Japhet Tanganga.
Last week it was reported by Charlie Eccleshare of The Athletic that Bournemouth are interested in our defender for loan or outright purchase. They are not alone as AC Milan and Napoli have also made Spurs aware of their interest. Following this news was an interview Alasdair Gold had with Tanganga while in South Korea. Appearing in football.london this morning, the article talks of our homegrown defender’s struggles with injury, role with the squad, and hopes for the new season. Crucially, his role within the squad is seen as right or left-sided center back.
Which begs the question: does Japhet Tanganga have a future with Tottenham?
He is not first choice and, given the presence of Davison Sánchez and now Clément Lenglet, does not seem to be second choice at any position, either. All this without even mentioning Joe Rodon, a player with an even more confusing place in the team.
Could we sell Davison to make way for Tanganga? Sure, but I don’t know what kind of market there is for him, he has two years left on his deal, and I am also not convinced Japh is a better player. We all know our Colombian international has a mistake in him but we have also seen extended stretches of good form under Mauricio Pochettino, Conte, and with his national team.
Could we sell Rodon? Sure, but, this sounds familiar, I don’t know what kind of market there is for him. The only thing I do know is we would not recoup the fee we spent to bring him in. Plus, he profiles as the central defender in our back three which is a big difference between him and all our other defenders not named Eric Dier.
On top of all that uncertainty, I’m just not sure how many central defenders Conte will carry into the season. Six feels like a lot. And, even if we sell or loan Rodon, how much time would Tanganga see as the last center back in the pecking order? Minimal at best, right?
So the answer to the question I posed above seems to be, in the short term at least, no, Japhet Tanganga does not have a future here. If not a full transfer, he should be loaned out so he can retain or increase his value until we make a final decision next summer when Sánchez would be going into his final year of contract.
People will get mad about that opinion but academies do not only exist to supply players to the first team. They also need to be a source of cash flow. If we stick Japh on the end of our bench for a full year, how is that any different to how we buried Kyle Walker-Peters for two full years, eventually selling him for a depressed fee.
I get that he is homegrown; I get that he is one of our own. But we have had this habit of sitting on players for far too long—how we still got six million pounds for Cameron Carter-Vickers this summer, only the gods know—instead of keeping up the churn.
None of this means I do not like him as a player. I think there is something there. But a Champions League-level center back? I don’t see it right now. So, if no major injures strike our back line in the next four weeks, loan him out so we can buy time on a final decision or sell him while the fee is high.
If we’re terrified he’s going to become the next big thing, put in a sell-on clause or buy-back option. But let the guy play. Let’s stop the cycle of letting these older prospects rot at the end of the bench, and maximize their value.
I don't think it's too complicated. He is nowhere near a starting spot but he is good enough and young enough that he should be playing somewhere, whether that is a lower PL side or in Serie A or another league in Europe. With HG players there is too often a sentimentality. Keeping the guy around when he isn't playing won't make him feel any better. We should learn from the KWP saga. He should have been playing but Poch just didn't see it that way. He left for Southampton and he's been a consistent starter and productive contributor (in a position Spurs have been weak at since he left no less).