Although center back isn't a priority position for Tottenham to address in the summer transfer market right now, it could be if Cristian Romero does decide to take a new direction in his career by moving to Atletico Madrid (or some other LaLiga club).
Romero openly stated his interest in moving to Spain, and Atleti have been recruiting the Argentinian international hard. But with Ange Postecoglou now expected to remain in charge of Spurs, Romero's own future in North London appears to have changed, especially after his Europa League heroics regained the trust of the fanbase.
A Romero exit would make a center back signing more likely, but even if he sticks around, Spurs could possibly sign someone else in central defense. In addition to Marc Guehi, Tottenham have been linked to another big name at the position in the Premier League, Jarrad Branthwaite of Everton.
But Everton won't let Branthwaite go easily. The 22-year-old center back is a great talent, but at 70 million pounds, he could be too rich for Tottenham's liking, especially with bigger priorities in midfield and attack on the market. So Tottenham need to think of alternatives to Branthwaite around Europe if they can't get the price down a little bit.
Nathan Zeze could be Tottenham's Khusanov
The first idea is Nantes teenager Nathan Zeze. He was right there with Abdukodir Khusanov as the best young defender in Ligue 1 during the first half of the 2024/25 season. Khusanov got his big move to Manchester City in the winter, just as 2023/24's Ligue 1 center back sensation Leny Yoro did in the summer to Manchester United.
Tottenham went to the Ligue 1 defensive well this past winter, too, by bringing in Kevin Danso, and French football has given the Premier League plenty of young standouts in central defense. Look no further than Tottenham's bitter rivals Arsenal for that.
After Zeze, there is an older Ligue 1 center back in Lille's Alexandro Ribeiro who could also fit. He's entering the prime of his career at 25 years old and has already been discussed in the past as a strong tactical fit for Tottenham and Ange Postecoglou. Valued just 20 million euros by Transfermarkt, the Brazilian could be a true bargain for Spurs after a great defensive season in Ligue 1 with a pass completion percentage of 91.4 to boot.
Finally, staying in Ligue 1, Monaco's Wilfired Singo should be generating major interest from astute Premier League clubs, and Tottenham would be wise to skip to the head of the line for a player who was once a strong wing back in Serie A for Torino before blossoming into a better central defender in France.
An upgrade on current Chelsea man Axel Disasi, Singo has made Monaco his home as a great man-marker, defensive leader, and jack-of-all-trades at center back. The 24-year-old is a proven Champions League commodity coming off a significantly better league season than Branthwaite, and he'll cost a fraction of the price. When combining current quality and future upside, Singo has a strong case for being the best deal on the market, hence why Newcastle are already pushing for him.