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Tottenham can’t expect next Ajax purchase to emulate Sanchez

By Rucker Haringey

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN - MAY 24: Matthijs de Ligt of Ajax and Marcus Rashford of Manchester United in action during the UEFA Europa League Final between Ajax and Manchester United at Friends Arena on May 24, 2017 in Stockholm, Sweden. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN - MAY 24: Matthijs de Ligt of Ajax and Marcus Rashford of Manchester United in action during the UEFA Europa League Final between Ajax and Manchester United at Friends Arena on May 24, 2017 in Stockholm, Sweden. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images) /
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Tottenham must be patient if they add Matthijs de Ligt

Given the overwhelming likelihood that Tottenham will say goodbye to Toby Alderweireld this summer, it’s logical Spurs should spend big to add a young centre back. Ajax star Matthijs de Ligt would be an excellent prospect to add. Mauricio Pochettino and company can’t expect him to adjust to life in the Premier League too quickly though.

Reports from England claim Spurs are willing to spend somewhere around £50 million for the young Eredivisie centre back. That fee would eclipse the Spurs-record bid the club paid Ajax for Sanchez last season.

Sanchez adjusted to life at Tottenham faster than anyone could have realistically expected. The 21-year-old Colombian looks as if he’s been playing in England’s top flight for a decade. The idea that he’s been able to completely replace Alderweireld in the Spurs starting XI is nothing short of amazing.

It would be easy to fall into the trap of believing that de Ligt can do the same. After all, he’s coming to Spurs from the same club. De Ligt is also playing the same amount of football for Ajax than Sanchez did just a season ago. There are obviously a ton of similarities between the two players.

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Expecting de Ligt to bed right into the Tottenham starting XI would be foolish though. First of all, he’s still just 18-years-old. Sanchez is still a football infant, but he’s a full three years older than his former teammate. That span of time can mean a lot in terms of a player’s physical and mental development.

The more realistic expectation might be to hope de Ligt can become a similar player to Sanchez in two or three years. It’s going to take him time to adjust to life in England. The fact that his body lacks the physical size of Sanchez will also steepen his learning curve. Sanchez arrived in North London with a body ready to battle the biggest Premier League attackers. De Ligt would arrive with the skill to dribble around them, but with a body that could be victimized by the likes of Christian Benteke or Romelu Lukaku.

The stark truth is that de Light might look more like Juan Foyth than Davinson Sanchez during his first season or two under Pochettino. That doesn’t mean Tottenham shouldn’t make a decisive swoop for him though. His talent is substantial and undeniable.

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The key for Spurs will be patience though. Purchasing de Ligt will be a substantial play for the future. Thrusting him into the mix too early could be enough to ruin the starlet’s career before it truly begins.

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