Jannik Vestergaard had a stellar season in the Premier League in 2020/2021. He averaged 1.7 tackles, 1.4 interceptions, and four clearances per game, playing in the centre of the defence for Southampton last season. These excellent statistics across all the matches that he played saw many clubs monitoring his performances.
Vestergaard - Negotiations underway
According to the Daily Mail, Tottenham has firmed up that monitoring with an offer and negotiations haved to bring the Danish international to London. Vestergaard only has one year left on his contract with Southampton. If a contract extension cannot be negotiated, they could be forced into a sale or risk losing the player on a free transfer next season.
Tottenham’s manager Nuno Espirito Santo is well aware that his brilliant but now ageing defence is creaking and might not last for another tough premier league season. He has therefore prioritised the search for players that will strengthen his defence during the summer transfer window.
Vestergaard transfer fee - will Kane be impressed?
Tottenham Hotspur will have to pay Southampton approximately £18 million to sign Vestergaard. By today’s standards, that is a very average transfer fee, and Santo might have to critically look at these types of acquisitions. The question he will have to ask himself is, will a Vestergaard type acquisition convince Harry Kane that Tottenham is serious about winning the Premier League as well as trophies. Unfortunately, at face value, the answer will be no.
Last year Vestergaard had his best season in a Southampton jersey in the Premier League. The 28-year-old centre-half impressed all and sundry with his ability with the ball at his feet, as well as his tackling and ball-winning ability at the heart of their defence. He also won an average of 3.3 aerial duels per match, an impressive statistic, especially in the hurly-burly of the Premier League.
Alderweireld and Andersen - Vestergaard the priority
Current Tottenham player Toby Alderweireld has one year remaining on his contract with the club and has expressed a desire to depart this summer. Tottenham is considering parting ways with the Belgian international, as the 32-year-old is seemingly coming to the end of his stay in the English League. Spurs have also sounded out French club Lyon on the availability of Vestergaard’s international teammate Joachim Andersen, who is valued at £25 million.
Andersen was on loan at Fulham last season, where he caught the attention of many premier league clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur. Nuno Espirito Santo will have important decisions to make with pre-season now underway, but all reports indicate that Vestergaard is a priority on his shortlist.
By :
Steven D. Thompson
