Tottenham and Jose Mourinho must focus on fulbacks in January

If Jose Mourinho wants to solidify Tottenham’s defence in January, then Spurs must spend serious money on a pair of new fullbacks. 

One of Jose Mourinho’s biggest priorities at Tottenham must be improving the club’s defence. Fortunately, Spurs possess terrific quality at the centre back position. Unfortunately for the Portuguese gaffer, the club are quite short of talent at both fullback positions.

Interestingly, the right back position is where Tottenham actually seem to have options at the moment. Serge Aurier has played some above average football since Mourinho’s arrival in North London. His crucial assist against Brighton on Boxing Day was a terrific example of the sort of quality the Ivory Coast international can provide.

That doesn’t mean Aurier has the consistency to hold down a spot in Mourinho’s starting XI for the long haul. His propensity for mental errors will eventually lead him to The Special One’s doghouse. He may be able to stay in Spurs’ match day squad for a while, but everyone at the club understands he can’t be considered the long-term answer.

As such, Spurs will need to address the position in one of the next two transfer windows. For those wondering, it’s clear that Kyle Walker-Peters doesn’t figure into Mourinho’s plans. He wasn’t in the squad against Brighton, and curiously wasn’t on the pitch training with other fringe players after the match. It seems obvious he’s poised to be loaned away from the club in January.

Juan Foyth could still end up factoring in the right back debate before season’s end, but Mourinho seems to correctly view him as a player better suited to the middle of the pitch. His natural position is at centre back, but there’s a possibility he’ll get a chance in Mourinho’s double-pivot sooner, rather than later. No matter what, he lacks the pace to give Spurs’ the width they need down the right hand flank.

While the right back position might be able to wait until the summer to address, the circumstances at left back will require immediate attention. Jan Vertonghen is holding the position down at the moment, but his lack of pace makes him a poor match-up for elite Premier League attackers. The Belgian veteran needs to head back to centre back as soon as possible.

In a perfect world, Danny Rose and Ben Davies would be in contention to lock down a place in Mourinho’s starting XI. Unfortunately, both possess injuries that are keeping them off the pitch for the moment. Rose’s knee is acting up and there’s no timetable for his return. Davies is also going to be a long-term absentee. Unless Tottenham are ready to fling starlet Dennis Cirkin into the fire in January, they must add a new left back in the coming weeks.

Pundits will continue to link Tottenham with high-priced centre backs to tighten up the club’s defence, but the trouble in Spurs’ back four can correctly be attributed to the fullbacks. Until those positions are solidified, Tottenham will continue to leak goals at a troubling rate.