Why Stoke City Have Made A Sensible Move With This Austrian: Hughes Will Reap Benefits

Why Kevin Wimmer Will Be A Good Signing For Stoke City

Tottenham Hotspur defender Kevin Wimmer has signed for fellow Premier League outfit Stoke City, after completing a medical successfully on Monday, according to reports from Sky Sports. 

Wimmer was seen bidding goodbyes to his teammates and Spurs fans at the Wembley, following their 1-1 draw against Burnley over the weekend. The 24-year old has cost the Potters somewhere around the £18million mark, the report claims.

The Austrian international arrived at Tottenham from German club FC Koln back in the summer of 2015 for an £4.3million fee, but has struggled to establish himself in Mauricio Pochettino’s setup. With the defensive duo of Toby Alberweireld and Jan Vertonghen performing exceedingly well and Eric Dier available to act as a backup, chances were few and far for Wimmer during his first season. However, an injury to Vertonghen in the second half of the 2015/16 season meant the Austrian got his opportunities in the first-team and he did not disappoint. 

Wimmer’s performances were so impressive that he was rewarded with a new and improved contract by Spurs towards the end of the season. However, things hit a steep downslide last season as a few highly error-prone performances in the early parts meant that he was restricted to only five appearances in the Premier League.  

The 24-year has not received minutes in the ongoing campaign and following the arrival of Davinson Sanchez at Tottenham, he was pushed further down the pecking order at the North London club. So a move away from Spurs makes sense for the player.

Stoke have strengthened their backline this summer, with the signing of Kurt Zouma on loan from Chelsea, combined with the permanent arrival of last season’s loanee Bruno Martins Indi from FC Porto and young left-back Josh Tymon from Hull City.

However, with manager Mark Hughes resorting to playing a three-man backline this season, adding another member to their defensive regiment isn’t the worst idea at all. With captain Ryan Shawcross’ contract set to expire next season, the former FC Koln man is seen as a long-term successor to the one-time capped England international. 

Wimmer though, during his brief appearances last season for Tottenham, did not look comfortable playing in a three-man backline. His iffy concentration makes him somewhat error-prone at times, but he is has displayed a number of positive attributes that will make him a more than decent addition at the Bet365 stadium.  

The Austrian is strong technically and can play with the ball at his feet, which will be important in a three-pronged defence. His physical stature and strength make him suitable to the rigours of English football and he possesses a decent turn of pace as well. Most importantly, he is just 24 years of age and has plenty of scope for improvement in his game.

Wimmer is not the complete article yet but isn’t as bad a player as his the 2016/17 season suggested. At the moment, it is his confidence that has taken a hit and if Hughes manages to build his morale up again, Stoke City will reap benefits from his signature.