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Tottenham line up ambitious swoop for talented defender

By Rucker Haringey

SOCHI, RUSSIA - JUNE 29: Benjamin Henrichs of Germany lines up a shot during the FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 Semi-Final between Germany and Mexico at Fisht Olympic Stadium on June 29, 2017 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
SOCHI, RUSSIA - JUNE 29: Benjamin Henrichs of Germany lines up a shot during the FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 Semi-Final between Germany and Mexico at Fisht Olympic Stadium on June 29, 2017 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images) /
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Tottenham want to provide Kieran Trippier real competition

As the only Premier League club yet to make a summer signing, Tottenham are being criticized far and wide for a lack of ambition. Spurs’ decision to chase talented Bundesliga defender Benjamin Henrichs shows the club have plenty of desire to improve.

Reports from England claim that Tottenham are zeroing in on the talented right back. Of course, Spurs have been eyeing a number of options to replace Kyle Walker who was sold to Manchester City earlier this summer. Ostensibly Kieran Trippier will enter the season as the starter, but his place in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad is far from certain.

On the surface, trying to purchase a 20-year-old from Bayer Leverkusen doesn’t look to be the most ambitious move of the summer. However, prying Henrichs away from his Bundesliga home will prove to be quite a challenge. His decision to ink a two-year extension with the German club earlier this year will complicate things considerably.

Despite the obvious challenges, it’s still a mountain worth climbing for Spurs. The club simply can’t afford to head into next season with Trippier and Kyle Walker-Peters as their only options at right back. The duo would leave Pochettino’s squad far too exposed on the defensive end of the pitch.

Despite Henrichs’ youth, he’s already shown the ability to flourish at a high level. He performed well for Leverkusen during their domestic competition, but elevated his play during their Champions League run. On Europe’s biggest stage, he managed to earn a Whoscored.com player rating average of 7.45 in seven appearances (six starts).

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While the Premier League is certainly more taxing on fullbacks than the Bundesliga, the 20-year-old starlet clearly has big time talent. He’s exactly the sort of player that could emerge as a world-class star under Pochettino. Just ask Kyle Walker and Danny Rose about just how much the Argentine gaffer can raise his game.

As with most transfers, this one will boil down to a question of economics. Leverkusen don’t want to lose their young defender, but an offer in excess of £20 million could be enough to pry him loose.

That may seem like a big price tag for a backup, but Henrichs’ potential makes him worth the fee. Add in the possibility of him playing both right and left back (as he did for Leverkusen) and it suddenly seems like a deal from Spurs’ perspective.

Next: Tottenham must address these five weaknesses this summer

Buying Benjamin Henrichs isn’t going to make Tottenham fans forget about Kyle Walker immediately, but he might manage that difficult feat in time. It’s time to see if Spurs are ready to splash some cash on a worthy target this summer.

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