Tottenham may look to Fulham to solve squad’s biggest problem
Right back has been Tottenham’s weakest position on the young season. Spurs may purchase another Fulham product to fix the issue in January.
Steven Sessegnon hasn’t enjoyed the same meteoric rise to prominence that his brother Ryan has enjoyed, but both players could still end up at the same Premier League club. Tottenham brought Ryan in on Deadline Day and may return to Craven Cottage to pluck Steven away in January.
According to The Sun, Spurs originally tried to buy both brothers this summer, but were ultimately rebuffed by the Whites. That doesn’t mean Mauricio Pochettino isn’t still keeping an eye on the Championship fullback. Steven’s fine play to open the year for Fulham could easily tempt Spurs to return with a more significant transfer bid in January.
Right back has been a trouble spot for Pochettino and his coaching staff this season. The club sold Kieran Trippier to Atletico Madrid this summer and installed young Kyle Walker-Peters as the club’s starter. He performed reasonably well until he suffered an ill-timed injury in Tottenham’s third match of the season. His absence forced Spurs to play Davinson Sanchez at right back in Sunday’s North London Derby.
The return of Juan Foyth from a preseason injury of his own could do a lot to solidify the position for Tottenham in the short-term. The young Argentine is better suited to play centre back, but flashed the ability to play on the right for his country during international play this summer. It’s very possible that he, not Walker-Peters, was set to be Pochettino’s starter until injury derailed his progress.
In the long-term, it’s still very likely that Foyth will slide back to centre back to replace Toby Alderweireld when age starts to take its toll on the Belgian veteran. That will leave Spurs short of options on the right. For those wondering, the chances of Serge Aurier getting back into Pochettino’s good graces are very similar to a snow ball’s chances of surviving in The Emirates.
That’s why making a swoop in January for Sessegnon would make such good sense. He clearly has a close relationship with his brother and the idea of playing with him in the Premier League would make him very keen on a switch to Spurs. Fulham might not want to let him leave, but Spurs have the financial might to take the decision out of their hands for all intents and purposes.
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Ultimately, it’s safe to expect Spurs to look at a lot of right back options over the next 12 months. Don’t be surprised if Sessegnon ends up being the club’s top choice. He fits the profile of the sort of player Pochettino likes to build his squad around. Fulham’s loss could easily end up being Tottenham’s gain once again.