Tottenham must prioritize signing a defender whose contract is running out
By Gary Pearson
If the last week has told us anything, it’s that Tottenham must do everything in their power to sign long term Japhet Tanganga, whose contract expires at the end of the season.
The 20-year-old recently conveyed to reporters his interest of staying at Spurs for the duration of his career:
"“I’ve been at Tottenham for a long time, since I was ten and they’ve helped me a lot,” he told reporters after the Middlesbrough game. “This club is fantastic, the staff, the coaches, everyone has just helped me.“The club means a lot to me, having been with them for so long. Of course I’d love to stay with them as long as I could and go on until I retire.“But that’s for the club to deal with me and for me to focus on the pitch and deliver as much as I possibly can.”"
The feeling is mutual Japhet. How nice it is to hear a youngster speak so fondly of his club. The Englishman performed extremely well under intense pressure against Liverpool in his Premier League debut, and followed that up with an outstanding display in the FA Cup replay against Middlesbrough.
The defender has breakneck pace, tenacity to marvel, the physical strength of a lion and an unbridled work rate. In summary, he’s the total package. Inexperienced and raw, he will need time to mature and gain experience. But he’s a player Jose Mourinho will want to build his squad around.
But to do that the club must first sign Tanganga to an appealing, lucrative long-term deal. And, to avoid any potential last-minute delays or mishaps, they should prioritize getting it squared away soon. We don’t need any other contractual dilemmas, especially when referring to a player whose future looks incredibly bright.
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Spurs have the option of extending his current deal by a year, but I highly recommend securing the 20-year-old long term. He is most definitely worth committing to for the foreseeable future. And, based on his adoration for the club, Tanganga, so long as Daniel Levy and company treat him right, won’t be tempted to start anew with another club any time soon.