Three Tottenham Hotspur players who could leave this summer.
Tottenham Hotspur head coach Jose Mourinho doesn’t have the luxury of being able to spend big money in the transfer window. That’s simply not Tottenham’s style. Instead, Spurs will likely need to free up some cash by selling players in the window.
We’ve already looked at four transfer targets for Spurs, players who could help the team get back into the Champions League next season. Today, we’ll take a look at three players who could leave the club in this summer’s transfer window.
Tottenham have already moved on from longtime central defender Jan Vertonghen and backup goalkeeper Michel Vorm. Their contracts have expired and weren’t renewed by the club.
Vertonghen was a key part of Tottenham’s dominant defense, starting alongside Toby Alderweireld as Spurs finished with the Premier League’s best defensive record two years in a row in the 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons. Now, Tottenham will be going with a new centerback pairing.
While Vertonghen and Vorm’s departures might save Spurs some money in wages, they will also need to bring in money through transfer fees.
Tottenham have been linked with a number of summer signings so far, but here are three players who could leave the club before the end of the current transfer window.
Serge Aurier
Right back Serge Aurier has been linked to a move away from Tottenham Hotspur all summer. According to John Cross of The Mirror, Spurs are “ready to offload” Aurier, with a move possible to either AC Milan or Monaco.
If Aurier leaves, Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho will have a tough decision to make at right back. Depth would be a real issue, especially if Kyle Walker-Peters also leaves (more on that in a moment). Who would be the top right back at the club without Aurier? And who would be the backup?
Hotspur HQ’s Aaron Coe went in-depth about Spurs’ current situation at both fullback positions, including potentially bringing back Danny Rose, and youth players who could be called up to the first team next season.
Just a few years ago, Spurs were able to rotate Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier at right back. Two England internationals who were dangerous attacking down the right. Walker was sold to Manchester City, and last summer Tripper moved to Athletico Madrid.
If Spurs sell Aurier this summer, they’ll be completely starting over again at the position and would likely need to sign another right back before the start of the new Premier League season.
Kyle Walker-Peters
If Tottenham did move on from Aurier, one potential option for next season would be Kyle Walker-Peters, who would return from loan at Southampton. Walker-Peters impressed during his time with Saints, but a return to Spurs doesn’t look likely.
According to Sky Sports News, Spurs have agreed a fee with Southampton for the permanent transfer of Walker-Peters. The fee would be £12 million. Spurs have also agreed a fee for Saints central midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, which is £15 million, but in a separate deal.
But that isn’t necessarily a done deal. According to Dan Kilpatrick of the Evening Standard, Fulham are also considering making an offer for Walker-Peters. Kilpatrick adds that the Hojbjerg deal is “not dependent” on Walker-Peters going to Southampton.
Either way, whether it’s Southampton, Fulham, or another club, it doesn’t seem as if Tottenham have any interest in keeping Walker-Peters this summer. It always seemed likely Spurs would move on from the right back this summer after they loaned him to Southampton earlier in the year.
It looks like Tottenham could be starting over at right back with both Aurier and Walker-Peters potentially leaving. If they sell both, they will need to bring in at least one fullback during this transfer window.
Juan Foyth
Expected to have an increased role for Tottenham this past season, Juan Foyth ended up only appearing in four Premier League games with just one start. Part of that was bad luck with injuries, but it also doesn’t seem he’s going to play a key role under Jose Mourinho.
According to Alasdair Gold of football.london, “Foyth is attracting interest from a number of clubs”. And given his lack of playing time, selling Foyth would make sense for Tottenham during this transfer window.
Foyth has only played in 16 Premier League games, making 11 starts, for Tottenham since the start of the 2017/18 season.
Foyth would be another candidate to spend some time at right back this season if Mourinho plans to use him as part of the rotation. But if Foyth departs, Spurs would have one fewer option at the position. If Foyth, Aurier, and Walker-Peters all leave, Tottenham will have no choice but to sign another right back in the summer.
Tottenham need to make signings in this window. There’s no doubt about that. Hojbjerg looks like he could be the first new addition to the squad. But Spurs will also need to sell players this summer to be able to afford transfers. Aurier, Walker-Peters, and Foyth are three players who could leave this summer.