Despite Micky van de Ven's regression this season, neither he nor Cristian Romero have been poor signings at the center back position. But they have not meshed well together as a duo and have been exposed badly this season, with Spurs supporters now wondering if they were the ones who overrated these two, rather than the world who were the ones underrating them.
All the while, in the previous transfer windows, Spurs were being linked with a center back far more consistent and commanding in the Premier League in Marc Guehi. Finally, after seemingly agreeing to join Liverpool on transfer deadline day in summer 2025, Guehi signed with their old Premier League title rivals Manchester City and looks set to conquer the whole league in comeback fashion from Arsenal.
And Spurs fans have to sit there and wonder if Tottenham simply missed out on Guehi because they were playing too cheap. Yes, Crystal Palace were driving a hard bargain, and a fee of 60 million pounds or anywhere near that for a player on an expiring contract in 2026 anyway was always going to be a hard bargain.
Marc Guehi could have helped keep Tottenham up
But there's the rub. Would Tottenham Hotspur have ever been able to sign a player of Guehi's sheer quality without paying a premium price and bagging him earlier before he would be eligible to sign on a pre-contract expiry or a massive bargain deal at deadline day in the preceding summer or winter transfer window? Judging by the eyes Guehi had on the last two title winners, Liverpool and Manchester City, the answer is a resounding "no" that is obvious and quite familiar to the Tottenham Hotspur faithful.
Had Tottenham managed to sign Marc Guehi by being more willing to pay the actual true market price for the best English center back around, then Spurs may not even be in the relegation fight. Guehi has been much better than Cristian Romero and especially Micky van de Ven this season, particularly when it comes to avoiding mistakes, staying disciplined, and reading the game.
The value added of spending an extra 30-40 million pounds on Guehi to sign him a year before would have been worth much, much more than the opportunity cost of being relegated - let alone missing out on European football entirely. Now, it is hard to say that Guehi would have been the difference between 17th and 7th, for example, but between 18th and 17th is a much easier claim to make.
Regardless, as Spurs contemplate another center back this summer to replace Romero and/or Van de Ven, they have to look back and be absolutely kicking themselves over not being more serious about a clear home run signing in Guehi if they are honest.
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