Kevin Wimmer is Tottenham’s Biggest Bargaining Chip

Six months ago it was hardly imaginable that Tottenham centre-back Kevin Wimmer would be on the chopping block. Now, on the eve of the January transfer window, rumors are swirling about his future with the club.

Recent reports from the Evening Standard indicate that Wimmer might be considering his options after being frozen out of the first team for much of the season so far by Mauricio Pochettino. His possible destinations include Southampton, Wolfsburg or Borussia Dortmund.

That the 24-year-old Austrian would even be the subject of rumors like this comes as something of a shock to those that witnesses his run of games in the latter half of the 2015/16 season.

After Jan Vertonghen went down injured in January, Wimmer stepped in and played through a crucial stretch of Premier League matches and Europa League ties. That Tottenham’s defense — among the very best in England — held strong through that period is a testament to Wimmer’s considerable ability.

The problem, of course, is that Wimmer was again dropped to the bench when Vertonghen regained fitness. Though he impressed in the time allotted to him, his immediate prospects were never especially rosy.

That drama intensified over the summer. Neither Vertonghen nor Toby Alderweireld looked likely of losing their spots in the center of defense nor was Tottenham eager to let them leave the club.

Perhaps more importantly, Wimmer suddenly had competition from below as well. The young American centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers traveled with Tottenham as the club enjoyed a brief pre-season tour of Australia. In narrow losses to Juventus and Atletico Madrid, the 18-year-old shined. It was enough for Pochettino to include Carter-Vickers in first team training as the season commenced.

More from Tottenham Transfer Rumours

• Tottenham’s Pierre Hojbjerg to Manchester United transfer rumour
• Tottenham transfer window state of the union
• Tottenham Hotspur sends two players out on loan
• Tottenham’s striker search continues: Brennan Johnson update
• Tottenham’s pursuit of a 21-year-old Gift heats ups

An injury picked up over the summer kept Wimmer out of contention early, which meant that Carter-Vickers or Eric Dier reaped the benefits whenever Pochettino rotated his centre-backs. By the time the Austrian returned back to health, he found himself much lower on the pecking order.

The turmoil led to a tad bit of drama, but eventually Wimmer did get his minutes with the club. There remains the impression that, with Dier now more or less ousted from defensive midfield by Victor Wanyama, Wimmer is no longer the centre-back of Tottenham’s future.

In a strange way, the arc of this saga fits into Tottenham’s plans nicely. As we discussed yesterday, Pochettino’s cull of the squad reached its heights in 2015 but remains an ongoing process. Those pieces that don’t fit fall by the wayside in favor of nurturing another, burgeoning talent. Carter-Vickers’ ascent seems reason enough for Tottenham to explore their options with Wimmer.

With last season’s brief but memorable run of matches, Wimmer’s stock rose considerably higher than the mere £4 million Tottenham paid for him in the summer of 2015. Should suitors come knocking, Tottenham stand to make a tidy profit.

Whether that money is immediately re-invested in another area of the squad or simply used to pay down debts and expenses elsewhere remains to be seen. With Daniel Levy concentrating on Spurs’ new stadium and keeping the books balanced, one could reasonably expect the latter.

Next: Bravery is Mauricio Pochettino's Defining Philosophy at Tottenham

Will this be the only bit of outgoing business Spurs engage in before February? Stay tuned for two more profiles of players who could also be on their way to the exit.