Why Tottenham should make a move for Jose Gimenez in January

Tottenham managed to keep only their first clean sheet of this Premier League season by beating Crystal Palace 4-0 at home last weekend.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side have been uncharacteristically sloppy at the back so far this campaign, conceding six goals in five games.

After two quiet windows without a single signing, Tottenham splashed a lot of money on new signings this summer but none of them were in the central defensive department.

The likes of Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen are slowly nearing the final phase of their careers. Both players could leave on a free next summer, potentially leaving Spurs with only Davinson Sanchez and Juan Foyth as recognised centre-backs.

Sanchez hasn’t been consistent enough, while Foyth is currently sidelined with an injury.

Thus, Pochettino is in dire need of a new centre-back and Atletico Madrid’s Jose Gimenez would be a good fit.

Jose Gimenez, 24, was linked with a move to Tottenham last year. He burst onto the scene with Atletico in 2013 following a move from Danubio, quickly becoming a star under Diego Simeone whilst striking up a superb defensive partnership with compatriot Diego Godin.

While Godin has left, the 24-year-old has stayed at Atletico and is the defensive lynchpin of the club.

The Uruguayan international is rated as one of the best defensive prospects across Europe. Gimenez is a technically adept defender, who is strongly built and possesses the intelligence to thwart some of the best forwards in Europe.

He can play the ball out from the back and is equally able in defending sturdily inside the box too, never afraid to put his body on the line.

Aside from that, the Uruguayan defender is a strong tackler. He can also monitor his marker and rarely loses concentration, which is quite a useful trait for a defensive side.

He can be a tough man to beat in a one-on-one duel. Standing at 6ft 1in tall, Gimenez is excellent in the air and an all-day threat in the opposition box from set-pieces.

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Given his huge potential and volumes of European experience, Gimenez would be something of a coup for Spurs. He is a 24-year-old defender and hence has a huge scope for further improvement.

Pochettino has proven to be a good coach especially for the youngsters and hence he can further help the player take his game to the next level.

Verdict

With Alderweireld and Vertonghen in their 30s and Sanchez still inconsistent, Gimenez could help Spurs tighten up their defence.

Whether or not the Uruguayan agrees to move out of Spain, is something that will be interesting to watch, though. Yet, Tottenham must lodge a bid for the defender in January.