A number of reasons Tottenham’s Tangagna isn’t going anywhere yet

Tottenham cannot afford to lose Tanganga until backline stabilizes

With Cristian Romero and Eric Dier both missing through injury, Tottenham cannot afford to allow the young Englishman to leave. Not yet, anyway. And Romero won’t be fit for another week or so, presenting a rather tight timeline.

The proposition is still somewhat dubious even when both Spurs’ aces return.

Antonio Conte has made clear his desire to have two viable options at each position. Spurs have six senior centre backs on the books (Davinson Sanchez, Romero, Dier, Ben Davies, Joe Rodon, Tanganga). That fills Conte’s two-per-position quota.

Until you take Rodon out of the equation. The Welshman is lower on the pecking order than Japhet, so, if Spurs can find any takers, he’s the first one being given the heave-ho.

The current situation would be turned on its head in the unlikely event Tottenham sign another accomplished centre back, pegged as a Conte priority. If the gaffer gets his way, the likelihood of Tanganga leaving increases exponentially.

Japhet leaving an unlikely outcome

Conte might be amenable to allowing both Rodon and Japhet to leave, but here’s the rub. AC Milan want Japhet on loan with an option to buy, a clause Tottenham have little interest in. Conte and Fabio Paratici are too intelligent not to realize Japhet’s boundless potential. They know he has a bright future at Spurs, even if he could use a bit of action elsewhere first.

There are even more complexities to this high-in-the-Sky transfer rumour. AC Milan are playing the field, interested in numerous other central defenders, including Eric Bailly and Abdou Diallo.

If all of those factors miraculously come together, there’s still no guarantee Japhet will indeed see more playing time in the shopping capital of Italy (I have no idea how I know that).

Regardless of Tottenham’s current injury issues, Japhet has played in three successive matches. Japhet has made 17 appearances in all competitions, equating to 1,230 minutes of match action. Not bad for a 22-year-old who rose to prominence overnight. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side, though he might first have to experience that to find out.

All factors take into consideration, this rumour has little chance of lifting its wheels off the tarmac, as Tanganga, due to Romero and Dier’s ailments, is grounded until otherwise notified. And by then it will be too late to takeoff.