News that Kevin Wimmer is unsettled at Tottenham has naturally resulted in rumors linking the club with another young defender.
The Mirror reports that the club are eyeing up Emanuel Mammana as a possible target in either the January or summer transfer windows. The 20-year-old only just joined Lyon this summer after playing for River Plate in his native Argentina, and to date has only made three appearances for the Ligue 1 side.
It seems unlikely that Lyon would be anxious to part with a player they only just signed, but there are plenty of other reasons to doubt the authenticity of this rumor. Let’s explore them.
HotspurHQ covered Wimmer’s comments yesterday in regard to his lack of opportunities at Tottenham. When Jan Vertonghen went down injured last January, Wimmer stepped in and easily played up to the Belgian’s standards alongside Toby Alderweireld. It seemed as if Wimmer were carving out a place for himself in the side, perhaps as Vertonghen eventual successor.
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Vertonghen’s return to health in April sent Wimmer back to the bench, but his prospects appeared good coming into the current season.
An injury WImmer sustained over the summer deeply complicated matters however. With Vertonghen also recovering from his own injury, Pochettino was compelled to call upon academy product Cameron Carter-Vickers for a pre-season trip to Australia.
The 18-year-old American is widely considered to be among the standouts of the next generation of players coming out of Tottenham’s development program. He’s impressed for the under-21 side and it seemed only a matter of time that he’d get his chance with the first team.
When those chances came in Australia, he exploited them as best he could. His performances against Juventus and Atlético Madrid were massively impressive for a player of his age and experience level. Both Pochettino and Tottenham fans were duly impressed.
So impressed, in fact, that Carter-Vickers status within the squad began to exceed that of Wimmer. He’s been on the bench for five of Tottenham’s Premier League matches this season as Wimmer recovered, and started alongside the Austrian in the 5-0 win over Gillingham.
All of which undercuts these latest rumors linking Tottenham to Mammana. While the 20-year-old Argentine certainly looks like a promising player who any club would rightfully covet, that narrative doesn’t quite align with what’s left Wimmer disgruntled.
If Carter-Vickers really is the massive prospect Pochettino believes him to be, one who he has enough faith in to bring him up to the first team despite his youth, why turn to another centre-back so quickly?
It could be that this is simply part of an elaborate ploy to keep Wimmer at the club. Pochettino and company want to make it clear that they don’t want players at the club who don’t want to be there. Targeting Mammana is a clear enough sign to Wimmer and all concerned that they will quickly and decisively move on if they have to.
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That being said, Pochettino isn’t likely to ignore Wimmer’s comments. The Austrian will get chances in the coming weeks now that he’s returned to health and stands to reclaim his spot above Carter-Vickers in the pecking order if he performs well enough.
Based on what we know about Wimmer’s abilities, it seems likely that he does perform when given the opportunity. If Pochettino can pair that time on the pitch with assurances that he indeed is Vertonghen’s successor, there’s a healthy chance that Tottenham keep Wimmer for some time yet.
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