Tottenham would be safe leaning on Kieran Trippier

Should the worse come to pass and Kyle Walker departs Tottenham, the club could do far worse than casting their lot with Kieran Trippier.

Tottenham’s once-back-up right-back is the third we are considering as possible replacements for Walker next season and beyond. Previously, we considered the merits of Bournemouth’s Adam Smith and Bayer Leverkusen’s Benjamin Henrichs.

Trippier, of course, is the obvious solution to the Walker dilemma. Though he never enjoyed a reliable rotation with Walker over his two seasons with the club, it’s safe to assume that he is more indoctrinated to Mauricio Pochettino’s ways than any other option available.

What’s more, Trippier has found himself included in the starting XI for big matches against Chelsea and Arsenal over the last month. Pochettino doesn’t give starts lightly, so it’s clear that he has faith that Trippier can do the job asked of him.

Still, it wouldn’t exactly be a like-for-like replacement were Trippier to step up to a starting role. Walker is the kind of player worth the £30 million he would reportedly fetch on the transfer market.

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

He began as a traditional attacking forward, all pace and attacking bluster. Gradually, over time, his defensive game evolved, and he could be relied upon to man his entire flank even as Tottenham’s game became more and more aggressive farther up the pitch.

This season he’s added in another dimension, cutting inside to add bulk to the midfield and, occasionally, even testing goal himself. All of these traits make him an understandably juicy target for full-back-starved clubs like Manchester City.

Compared to that, Trippier can look rather flat. He’s arguably superior to Walker in his ability to hug the touch-line and stretch defenses, but there isn’t a tremendous amount of finesse or — more importantly — defensive acumen there.

In his first season with the club, those deficiencies stood out more than any benefit he provided to the side. Opponents exploited the space behind him, and but for two exceptional performances home and way against Watford, he didn’t exactly shine.

When given a chance this term, however, he’s proved to be a more well-rounded player. The wing-back position of a 3-4-2-1 suits him nicely. It encourages his runs forward while also providing plenty of cover in behind in the form of Eric Dier.

Next: Who starts in the last match at White Hart Lane?

If Pochettino wanted to persist with that formation — and there’s no reason to think that he wouldn’t — then Trippier is as good an option as any to fill the potential void left by Walker. Perhaps it’s not the big splash that fans might want, but it is a prudent and cost effective solution to what might be the biggest difficulty of the summer.