Forget Alderweireld – 3 World-class replacements who Tottenham can buy including Burnley star

Three ideal replacements for Toby Alderweireld if the Belgian leaves Tottenham in January

Tottenham Hotspur have made a positive start to their season this time out. With their only red stain coming against Watford last weekend, Spurs have made a good start to their season.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino also picked up a thrilling 3-0 victory against Manchester United and proved that this squad needs no new additions. But in the January though, Spurs need to be careful, as defender Toby Alderweireld is yet to sign a new contract at the club.

Alderweireld was a subject of interest from Manchester United over the summer but ultimately, he stayed put. (Metro)

Anyway, Spurs will need a new defender to replace the talented Belgian if he decides to make the move away in January. Failing to do so will direly cost the club given that they didn’t bolster their ranks in the summer.

Here we take a look at three defenders Mauricio Pochettino can go for in January should Alderweireld make the move.

Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli)

Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis has stressed that the club won’t sell more players, but Pochettino should make a move for the Senegalese international this January. He is a fast, agile and strong centre-back who is very calm and composed on the ball. Koulibaly has established himself as one of the best defenders in the Serie A.

A rock at the back, Koulibaly would be the perfect partner for Jan Vertonghen and Davinson Sanchez. The centre-back rarely gets caught out of position and poses a huge aerial threat during set-pieces. He would be a great addition to this Tottenham squad and would certainly tighten things up at the back.

James Tarkowski (Burnley)

Tarkowski made a name for himself in the Premier League last season with his impressive performances for Burnley, guiding them to a Europa League finish.

It’s obvious Sean Dyche will not be willing to part with his star defender but given that the Clarets failed to make it to the Europa League group stages and have Ben Gibson on the bench, Pochettino could try and convince the English defender.

A move for the youngster would ensure defensive cover and stability for Spurs. Tarkowski is a defensively intelligent and tough-tackling centre-back who is rarely prone to making mistakes. His positional play is excellent as well. He has started the season in brilliant form, scoring 2 goals so far.

Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich)

Boateng is a defender who has been playing at the highest level for a number of years now. At the age of 30, the German is still playing at the top of his game. Boateng was linked with a move away from the club this summer, with both Mats Hummels and Mehdi Benatia partnering each other.

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A move for the German World Cup winner would be wise given his wisdom and understanding of the game. Though Boateng is considerably older than Alderweireld, he possesses the ability to go on for a few more years.