What Tottenham Hotspur should do in the coming January transfer window

VERONA, ITALY - FEBRUARY 08:Fabio Paratici of Juventus looks on during the Serie A match between Hellas Verona and Juventus at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on February 8, 2020 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
VERONA, ITALY - FEBRUARY 08:Fabio Paratici of Juventus looks on during the Serie A match between Hellas Verona and Juventus at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on February 8, 2020 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 20: Ryan Sessegnon of Tottenham Hotspur and Antonio Conte the manager / head coach of Tottenham Hotspur at full time of the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on November 20, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 20: Ryan Sessegnon of Tottenham Hotspur and Antonio Conte the manager/head coach of Tottenham Hotspur at full time of the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on November 20, 2021, in London, England. (Photo by James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images) /

Tottenham needs to look at the wingbacks

Sergio Reguilón seems a good fit for Conte’s system as does Emerson Royal. Neither is perfect and both have room for growth, particularly going forward but they get the job done. The problem is not so much Reguilón and Royal, it is the depth behind them that is suspect, and this is the most demanding position on the pitch in Conte’s set-up.

On the left, Ryan Sessegnon has had an up-and-down showing under Conte with a howler and a couple of decent performances. As has been the case his entire tenure at Spurs, Sessegnon is once again out injured and is unavailable. The lack of availability of Sessegnon is concerning and leaves Spurs thin behind Reguilón, who himself picks up knocks often.

Japhet Tanganga is one of the back-ups for both sides and his best position may be at right-back where a logjam of Davinson Sanchez and Cristian Romero has Tanganga as the third choice. Which the young defender may be at right wing-back as well because it has been Matt Doherty getting the minutes when Royal has not played, not Tanganga.

Doherty most likely of wingbacks to leave

Doherty has been better under Conte in his more natural position of wingback but is not a long-term answer. Signed just last summer under Jose Mourinho then used in a different position than he was accustomed to, Doherty has struggled to adapt at Tottenham.

There were rumours in the summer that he was going to be moving back to Wolves but that never materialized as his former Wolves coach came to Spurs in Nuno Espirito Santo. Now, clearly behind Royal and fighting with Tanganga for minutes, Doherty may be looking to move so he can keep his place in the Northern Ireland team.