Tottenham have options if Kyle Walker departs

While it is far from the ideal conclusion, should Tottenham lose Kyle Walker this summer it is unlikely to spark any kind of crisis at right-back.

It’s true that full-backs of Walker and Danny Rose’s caliber are extremely hard to come by. Tottenham are fortunate to have two such remarkable players on the same roster while teams like Manchester City continue to struggle on the defensive flanks.

It is also true, though, that due to elite football’s chronic full-back shortage, Spurs will receive a kingly sum for any successful Walker transfer. That is money that could be used for improvements elsewhere in the squad or, should it be necessary, a replacement for Walker himself.

At the moment, though, it appears as if a replacement might not be necessary. Kieran Trippier — Walker’s understudy since his arrival from Burnley in the summer of 2015 — stepped up in matches against Chelsea and Arsenal over the last ten days and did a job.

More from Tottenham News

• Storybook ending after difficult period for Tottenahm’s Richarlison
• Tottenham comeback showcased invaluable intangible Ange has cultivated
• Tottenham player ratings in 2-1 comeback win over Sheffield United
• Tottenham projected starting 11 for Sheffield United
• Tottenham’s Richarlison says he’s going to seek psychological help

Perhaps he lacks some of Walkers omni-directional talent. He is closer in style to what Walker used to be under Harry Redknapp and his immediate successors. A runner, working best with a more advanced attacker to overlap with, and most of all dangerous from wide areas.

Over the past two seasons Walker has added nuance to that prototypical take on an attacking full-back, and now cuts into midfield and drops deep just as often as he gets forward. That’s a hugely valuable skillset, but its one easily offset by the presence of another omni-directional player like Eric Dier at centre-back or defensive midfield.

Trippier also enjoys an advantage over Walker in one key area: endurance. If reports are to be believed, Mauricio Pochettino lacks faith in Walker’s ability to play two or more games in a week. That, ostensibly, is the reason why Trippier played in the autumn’s Champions League fixtures and why he featured twice over the last week. There simply wasn’t enough confidence that Walker could deliver over a run of crucial games.

So Tottenham could, in theory, stay on with Trippier. They might not even have to recruit a back-up, as Academy product Kyle Walker-Peters is slated for a bigger role beginning next season anyhow.

If Pochettino did want to test the market, he would have funds to work with. The Guardian’s Rumour Mill cited a source in claiming that Walker could fetch between £35 and £50 million. That would be more than enough to entice a team like Monaco to part with, say, Djibril Sibide, or perhaps a promising youngster like Bayer Leverkusen’s Benjamin Henrichs. 

Don’t misunderstand: Spurs should do what they can within reason to retain Walker. He is exceptional, and Spurs will struggle at least initially should he leave — especially if he were to go to a rival like City.

Next: Twitter Tuesday: Best Tottenham Tweets from the North London Derby

Still, turnover like this is to be expected. With Spurs’ strict wage cap it was inevitable that one or more players might look to greener pastures.

Pochettino will need to prove that he’s capable of losing a key man for his first time with Spurs. It will be a very public test of his true ability as a manager, and many will be hoping he trips up.