Why Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho should go for Samuel Umtiti

In an interview with Football Insider (h/t The Express), former Tottenham striker Darren Bent has urged Jose Mourinho to do everything he can to sign Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti.

Samuel Umtiti, 26, has managed only 9 appearances for Barcelona this season, with 6 of those outings coming in La Liga. He has fallen out of favour at the Nou Camp this season, having started just five La Liga games. However, it remains to be seen what his role is under new manager Quique Setien.

The France international, who helped Les Bleus win the 2018 World Cup, has struggled to return to the form he showed in that tournament since suffering a serious knee injury last season.

However, should Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho listen to Darren Bent’s advice and go for Umtiti this month?

Tottenham are short of options at the back, with Jan Vertonghen’s contract expiring at the end of the season. Davinson Sanchez hasn’t been able to hit top form this season and he continues to blow hot and cold under Mourinho.

While Toby Alderweireld recently committed his future to the club with a new contract and Japhet Tanganga has got off to a decent start to his career at Spurs, Mourinho still needs to add an experienced central defender to his ranks.

Samuel Umtiti would be a smart fit at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It’s true that Umtiti has struggled with a few injuries over the last couple of seasons, but Tottenham must take a gamble on him.

Read More

• Why Gedson Fernandes would be a top addition for Tottenham
• Why Danny Ings could be the man to solve Tottenham’s attacking issues
• Why Ziyech’s arrival could make Tottenham a force to reckon with

If Umtiti manages to keep himself fit, he could be a good addition to the Tottenham side which has been defensively all over the place this season (as evident from their defensive record this season).

Umtiti is an established defender and there’s no doubt he would add value to a team like Tottenham, who are in the race to achieve a top-4 finish this season.

Verdict

Mourinho should definitely listen to Bent’s advice and sign Umtiti from Barcelona this month. The France international would be a good addition to a Tottenham side that has conceded 31 goals in 23 games.