Why Tottenham should revive their interest in Ben Godfrey
Back in December, Daily Mail reported that Tottenham were lining up a £25m move for Norwich City defender Ben Godfrey. However, a deal didn’t materialize and the young centre-back stayed put at Carrow Road.
Godfrey, 22, came through the ranks of York City’s youth system and joined Norwich in January 2016. A year later, he was sent on loan to Shrewsbury Town to find regular game time and he went on to feature in 40 league games for the Shrews. After one season, he returned to his parent club, where he has been a regular in the last two seasons.
Godfrey helped the Canaries win the Champions last summer, which automatically got them promoted to the top flight. He racked up 4 goals and 2 assists in 31 league games. He has continued with the fine form into this season despite the club languishing at the bottom of the Premier League table.
His impressive performances also earned him a call to England’s U21 squad last September. Thus, Tottenham should make another attempt to sign the youngster in the summer.
The Lilywhites, meanwhile, have endured a poor campaign so far. They have been dumped out of the other cup competitions, whilst also finding themselves in the 7th position in the league table. Jose Mourinho had to do with a lot of key players injured for the majority of the season and that has led to the team’s failure.
Godfrey- A future mainstay in defence for Tottenham
One key area which needs to be strengthened is the central defence. Jan Vertonghen has lost his form and has been pushed to the bench by Mourinho. Furthermore, his contract expires at the end of the season. Fellow Belgian Toby Alderweireld also hasn’t been at his best and Davinson Sanchez hasn’t yet convinced in that role.
Hence, the manager should find a replacement for Vertonghen at the earliest. And Norwich City’s Godfrey would be a viable option in the summer.
The English U21 international is one of the best young defenders in the country and despite Norwich’s poor season, he has shown his potential. He is just 22 and has a lot of room for development. And under the guidance of Mourinho, he can develop himself into a crucial player for the Lilywhites in the future.
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Verdict
Tottenham are in dire need of young centre-backs and Godfrey would definitely add depth to the squad, whilst also bringing in healthy competition. And if he is able to keep himself away from injuries, he can be valuable to Mourinho’s squad in the long run. Thus, they should reignite their interest in the English defender in the upcoming transfer window.