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Tottenham want to raid Bayer Leverkusen one more time

By Rucker Haringey

PADERBORN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 01: Jonathan Tah of Germany U21 is challenged by Bence Biro of Hungary 21 during the International friendly match between Germany U21 and Hungary U21 at the Benteler Arena on September 1, 2017 in Paderborn, Germany. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
PADERBORN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 01: Jonathan Tah of Germany U21 is challenged by Bence Biro of Hungary 21 during the International friendly match between Germany U21 and Hungary U21 at the Benteler Arena on September 1, 2017 in Paderborn, Germany. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images) /
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Tottenham’s last purchase from Leverkusen turned out pretty well

The last time Tottenham purchased a player from Bayer Leverkusen it netted Mauricio Pochettino Heung-Min Son. Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that Spurs are contemplating another summer swoop for one of the Bundesliga club’s talented young prospects.

This time it isn’t an attacking player that’s caught the Premier League club’s interest. Instead, Pochettino and company are eyeing Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah as a potential replacement for Toby Alderweireld. Spurs officials are becoming increasingly concerned with their ability to sign their Belgian star to a new deal. As such, Tottenham scouts are starting to zero in on potential replacements.

Purchasing a defender capable of immediately replacing Alderweireld is almost certainly out of Tottenham’s price range. The sobering reality is that he may be Europe’s best central defender when he’s fit and firing. Even if Daniel Levy were willing to sanction a massive £100 million bid for a new centre back, there’d be no guarantee they could replace Alderweireld immediately.

As such, it makes perfect sense for Spurs to emulate their signing of Davinson Sanchez. The talented Colombian centre back became the club’s most expensive transfer purchase ever last summer. He’d shown real glimpses of potential at Ajax, but no one could have predicted just how seamless his transition to the Premier League has been.

Tah is a defender in the same sort of mold as Sanchez. He’s been a mainstay for Leverkusen at just 22 years of age. He’s started 21 Bundesliga matches for the club this year and is a big reason they find themselves in the mix for Champions League football. It’s very likely his transition to the Premier League would be easier than Sanchez’s move. After all, the Bundesliga is a closer facsimile of Premier League competition than the Eredivisie.

Tah also plays the style of football that Pochettino likes to see from his central defenders. He isn’t a rough and tumble defender. Instead, Tah reads the game exceptionally wall and is very adept at playing with the ball at his feet. In terms of style of play, he’s much closer to the way Alderweireld plies his craft than Sanchez’s dominating use of physicality.

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As you might expect, Leverkusen aren’t keen to lose such an important piece of their young core. If Tottenham want to make this deal work it will reportedly cost them upwards of £35 million. That might seem like a hefty sum, but remember it’s less than the club doled out for Sanchez last summer.

It also is likely a smaller sum than Spurs would receive via an Alderweireld sell. That isn’t a reality many Spurs fans want to face, but the club have to deal with all potential eventualities. Replacing Alderweireld isn’t going to be cheap, but it could still turn into a net positive spend for the club.

Next: Tottenham are considering massive summer gamble

As long as Alderweireld refrains from signing a new deal, Tottenham have to spend significant resources scouting a potential heir to his defensive throne. Expect Tah to be the first of a cavalcade of young centre backs who will be linked strongly to Spurs in the coming weeks.

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