Why Jack O’Connell would be a handy signing for Tottenham
According to Daily Star, Tottenham are lining up a raid on high-flying Premier League rivals Sheffield United for central defender Jack O’Connell, who has been in fine form this season.
As per the report, the Lilywhites have earmarked the 25-year-old former England U19 international as a long-term replacement for Jan Vertonghen, who will be out of contract at the end of the ongoing campaign.
O’Connell has started each of Sheffield United’s 24 games in the Premier League so far and has played every minute of the Blades’ league campaign, with Chris Wilder’s side currently sitting 7th in the standings following a fairytale start to life in the top-flight.
The Liverpool-born defender initially started his career at Blackburn Rovers but he failed to make the grade at Ewood Park, spending time on loan at Rotherham United, Rochdale and York City in the lower divisions before completing a move to Brentford.
The 25-year-old joined Sheffield United back in 2016 and played a key role in his first season in the League One as the Blades secured promotion to the Championship.
Meanwhile, a goalless draw at Vicarage Road against Watford on Saturday ensured that Tottenham stretched their winless run in the Premier League to four games.
It was the overall performance against the resurgent Hornets more than the result itself that should set the alarm bells ringing once again in North London, given that Spurs visibly struggled to come away with three points.
Tottenham’s struggles at the back earlier in the campaign were well-documented under Mauricio Pochettino and things have hardly taken a dramatic turnaround in that regard since the appointment of Mourinho, who has seemingly had a tough time in organizing his brittle backline.
Despite having made strides towards by bolstering their injury-ravaged midfield with an 18-month loan deal for Gedson Fernandes from Benfica, Tottenham still have some gaping holes to fill at both ends of the pitch.
Alderwiereld has been a consistent performer at the heart of the defence but with Ventonghen nearing the end of his contract and Davinson Sanchez not very convincing, the Lilywhites could certainly do with some reshuffling at the back.
Academy graduate Japhet Tanganga has stepped up with some decent displays in recent weeks while Juan Foyth continues to be another promising prospect. But it has been pretty evident that Tottenham’s backline still lacks solidity and resilience to keep the opposition at bay.
Verdict
Jack O’Connell might only be playing his first season in the Premier League but his impressive displays aren’t merely a flash in the pan.
The Blades star has proven to be a tailor-made fit for a back-three system at Bramall Lane and Mourinho can use him well if he opts to play three defenders at the back. O’Connell could thrive in such a set-up.
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Tottenham would land themselves a handy solution to their defensive woes if they manage to pull off a raid on their rivals for Jack O’Connell.
