Is Tottenham’s interest in Boca Junior’s Wilmar Barrios misplaced?

With higher priorities to attend to, is Spurs reported interest in Boca Juniors’ Wilmar Barrios totally misplaced or is there merit in courting the defensive midfielder? 

The Sun has reported that Mauricio Pochettino is keen on Barrios, who, using his power and pace, protects expertly the back four. He is a prototypical old-school defensive midfielder, similar in strength and stature to Victor Wanyama.

Some have dubbed him as the Colombian N’Golo Kanté. He’s not yet deserving of that sort of lofty praise, though.

So why are Spurs showing interest in a player whose position is so well tended in the current Tottenham mix?

Wanyama and Eric Dier are puritan defensive central midfielders, while Harry Winks and Mousa Dembele are capable of playing that role in an adaptive way. It makes you wonder which of the quartet could be on the way out of North London.

Winks just inked a new contract so his future is set in stone. Rumours of Dembele’s possible departure are well documented, while Dier and Wanyama have also been linked to potential moves away from Hotspur Way.

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Otherwise, why would Pochettino spend about £25 million on a player whose resemblance to Wanyama is analogous?

Barrios is a reliable, strong force, someone who offers stability and assurance for the rearguard he’s paid to protect.

But the current personnel scenario at Tottenham, unless an exodus is imminent, does not call for more defensive central midfielders.

As far as priorities go, finding another central midfielder should be an afterthought, cemented to the foot of a towering totem pole.

Landing a first-choice right back, sourcing support for Harry Kane, and scouring for a ball-carrying midfielder, in ascending order, should be Pochettino’s principal concerns.

If, however, Wanyama, Dier or Dembele depart for pastures anew, Barrios certainly looks capable of filling in. He has played his way onto the Colombian national side and knows intimately how compatriot Davinson Sanchez marshals the back line.

Pochettino will use the World Cup as a litmus test for the 24-year-old Colombian, seeing how he copes with playing in Europe against the very best from across the globe on the most diverse stage.

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The gaffer knows acutely the incumbent risks of waiting until the end of the World Cup to sign a desirable player who has thus far avoided the attention of other gargantuan clubs. His stock may rise and competition to secure his services could stiffen.

Speculation aside, Tottenham have more pressing matters on the docket, particularly in keeping their top assets, finding viable support for Kane while fortifying the wide areas of the pitch.